What We Have Lost: Legacy of the Rose
by Cathari Sarad
Summary: Ruby Rose looks forward to her first year at Beacon. But after a government official detains Headmaster Ozpin, Ruby and her friends quickly find themselves entangled in a vast conspiracy that threatens to undermine the world order and throw Remnant into chaos.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Notes: _What We Have Lost_ is a RWBY fusion fic featuring characters from Legend of the Galactic Heroes. As such, it is effectively an AU. In particular, it is an alternate history of Remnant. You do not need to have seen LotGH to understand everything, but I'll try and answer any questions you may have about that series.**

 **Also, this fic may contain graphic descriptions of violence at some later point. There may also be dark/disturbing content sometime in the future, so if you're triggered by any of that sort of stuff, you might want to watch out for it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or Legend of the Galactic Heroes. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth, and Legend of the Galactic Heroes is the property of its respective creators.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Miss, may I see your identification?"

When the officer approached her, Ruby came to a stop. Her feet slid along the dirt path to face him.

"But officer, sir, I'm just here to…"

"Look miss, I'm going to need your identification. Basic protocol."

 _Ugh! These guys are so strict._ Ruby retrieved a scroll from her pockets, groaning as she did so. The officer readily took the device and opened it up. His eyes scanned over its contents.

"Heard you were on the news a couple days ago," the man remarked. "Someone your age ought to be more careful."

"Yeah, yeah," Ruby said as she crossed her arms. "Not like it's the thousandth time I've heard that. Besides, I'm pretty good at taking care of myself, thank you very much."

The officer glanced over at Crescent Rose, which was holstered on her back. "Says here Qrow's your uncle. Explains quite a bit if you ask me. I take it you're acquainted with the general then?"

"Of course! Yang's my cousin. It's been a while since I've seen him, and now that he's back, I just felt like stopping by."

The officer closed the scroll back up and returned it, "Well, well, well. Who knew one family could have so much talent? Alright, you're good to go. Just make sure you don't hurt anyone with that fancy scythe of yours, okay?" He turned and hollered to a guard standing in a booth a hundred feet behind him, "Char, this one checks out." The guard simply nodded and saluted.

Now that she was done dealing with those two men, Ruby proceeded towards her cousin's house, which was buried into the surrounding forest. It was a two story building with a rust-red roof and walls painted like sand. The house sat on a slope which went down, flattened off, and then dipped down again until running into a silent stream. A garage jutted out from the right side, and a dusty black sedan sat just a few feet away. An old log house stood to the right, surrounded by a makeshift fence. Its windows had been boarded up on the outside. Judging by the two cars nearby, the house seemed to be serving as a temporary guard station.

 _I wonder if they've got any cool weapons in there? Not that I'd abandon you, sweetheart, but it's always nice to see other weapons in person. Though, those rifles didn't look like they could transform or anything like that. Wonder if Yang's got a cool weapon? Since he's a general, then it's gotta super-duper-awesome and exciting, right? Oh, I just can't wait! This is going to be the best reunion ever!_

Speeding past Char, Ruby cut through the grass to reach the front steps, as there was no path leading up to it. Once she ascended the three steps, the young huntress-in-training rang the doorbell. The girl opened the outer door and then rested it up against her left side. The bell echoed from within, and a woman's voice followed shortly after. _It really has been a while._

After about a minute, Ruby heard the locks being undone. Three to be exact. The main door opened to reveal a woman with honey-colored hair holding two pink oven mitts under her left arm. A simple white apron covered her front side.

"Well," said the woman, "it looks like you got past our secret service. So, who might you be?"

"I'm Yang's cousin, Ruby Rose."

"Oh, Taiyang's daughter? Well pleased to meet you, Ruby, I'm Frederica Greenhill. Why don't you come inside and seat yourself in the main lounge? The general's still struggling to get off the couch, so he might be a while. You know how he is sometimes."

As Frederica held the main door open, Ruby stepped on in. The girl turned around to pull the outer frame in before anything nasty flew in. The last thing she wanted to see was a spider climbing up next to her while she was resting on the couch.

Ruby stepped into the antechamber and slipped her shoes off. As Ms. Greenhill passed by, the girl turned to her and said, "So, I take it you and Yang are… you know?"

"Why yes, the two of us are engaged," Ms. Greenhill said as she pushed herself into the door, closing it. "The ceremony's going to take place a few months from now, once all the planning work is done."

 _First time I've heard of this._ "So, when did you two first meet?"

"About two and a half years ago. I was sent in with the relief force after the Battle of Lyra. Once we grouped up with the 7th, I was appointed as Yang's aide. He was still just a major back then."

Ms. Greenhill stepped into an adjacent room to Ruby's left, and then placed her mitts on a long cherry cabinet edged up against the wall.

She continued. "Looking back at it, it was quite a miracle he managed to withdraw as many men as he did, especially with Grimm all over the place."

"Lieutenant!" A voice half-asleep came from the room at the end of the hall. It sounded like Yang.

"Yes, General, sir?" responded Ms. Greenhill.

"Who is that?"

"It's Ruby. She's come over to visit."

A blackish mass slowly rose up from a couch in the room up ahead, which then folded over to reveal a man in white pajamas. Once Yang was fully upright, he scratched the back of his head and said, "Aye-aye-aye. And here I thought I was going to get some shut-eye today."

Ms. Greenhill turned to Ruby. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable? I'll prepare some tea for the two of you."

"That'll be great," Ruby said. She would have actually preferred some coffee, but tea would have to do.

Ruby continued through the hall, passing a stairway to the left. Once through, the lounging area lay before her. Two teal couches sat facing each other, a glass-topped, knee-height table sitting between them. A flat-screen TV sat immediately towards Ruby's left, and past that stood the kitchen area. Opposite the television was a large window looking out into the forest.

As Ruby seated herself, Yang Wenli got up from his couch and shifted the blanket to the side, "Man, I must look like a total wreck. Can't even get dressed when guests show up. Excuse me for one sec."

"Okie-dokie," Ruby replied.

Yang stood up, did a couple of stretches, and then slid his feet into some slippers nearby. Ruby watched as he stumbled into the main hallway and then ascended the stairs. _He seems like his usual self. Though, he looks a lot older than I remember._

There was a remote lying on the opposite side of the table, near Yang's resting place. She was tempted to watch something, but then again she'd have to turn the TV off in a few seconds anyway. _Nope, not going to do that right now. Huh, he doesn't seem to have any magazines here. Maybe he has some in his room. Oh, wait, no. He's got those big textbook thingies. Ugh. How does he even manage to go through all them?_

Ruby hummed to herself while waiting for the couple to return to the lounge. Her eyes wandered over to the window stretching halfway across the room. There wasn't much else to look at aside from the door to the garage up ahead. _It's so quiet in these parts. I didn't even find any Beowolves on the way here. Maybe this area's all cleared out._

Ms. Greenhill returned to the table with two cups of tea. The china clanged when she set them down.

While in her knelt position, Ms. Greenhill turned to Ruby. "How do you like your tea?" she asked.

"I'll just have some cream and sugar."

Ms. Greenhill nodded in confirmation. She went to the opposite couch and folded up Yang's blanket. "It's an old habit he has. Sometimes he just collapses after a long battle, though, that was pretty much the same with all of us. The general still hasn't gotten used to sleeping in his own bed."

Yang's fiancé wandered over to the kitchen area during her musing, just out of Ruby's sight. The young girl couldn't help but turn when Ms. Greenhill shut the overhead cabinet doors after checking through them. The woman then opened the refrigerator door, letting a feeble amount of light into the room. "Uh, we don't have any cream at the moment. Would you like milk instead?"

"That'll be great!" said Ruby. "In fact, could you get a separate glass, Ms. Greenhill? Please?"

Seconds later, the woman came back, setting a clear glass and a carton of milk to the right of the tea. Just as Ms Greenhill went for the sugar, Yang came back to the other side of the couch with a bottle of wine in his hands. This time he was wearing casual attire: a collared shirt and jeans. The general didn't look like he had any trouble putting everything on, but he still looked like he was half-asleep. Yang took the cork out of the bottle and poured some liquor into his tea. Following that, he reached over to Ruby's cup of tea and poured into that.

"Uh, Yang, what are you doing?" said Ruby as she huddled her legs onto the couch.

"General!" Ms. Greenhill rushed over to the table, empty-handed.

"Wha-Wha?" Yang's head shifted around in confusion. As soon as the wine bottle came into his sights, he immediately set it back down, stood up, and then bowed to Ruby. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I don't… I don't really know what I was thinking right then. I'm really, really sorry. That was really careless of me."

"General, you should really be more careful with how you act around guests," said Ms. Greenhill. After Yang apologized once more, his fiancé lowered herself down to Ruby's eye level. "Ruby, would you like me to get you another cup?"

"Thanks, but I'm fine with just milk," Ruby replied. She didn't really want tea all that much anyway. Besides, she already had her coffee for that morning.

Ms. Greenhill picked up the cup and went to dispose of its contents. Ruby poured herself a glass in the meantime. _Let's hope this milk isn't tainted with alcohol as well._

Yang took a sip of his tea, holding his cup in both hands. "I'm really sorry about that, Ruby. It's just, Vinny's always been a good friend of mine. He's always been there when I needed him, and the two of us have never been far apart from each other." Yang set his cup on the table. "So, Ruby, what brings you here? You've grown a lot since the last time we met. When was that, three or four years ago? Aye-Aye-aye, I'm an old man already."

Ruby's eyes wandered to the floor before she spoke, trying to collect her thoughts. "Well, it's just that I'm going back to school in a few days, and I just thought I wouldn't have many chances to see you again."

Yang poured some more wine into his tea. "I heard you were attending Signal. I take it your uncle has been treating you well? You seem to have learned quite a few things from him, seeing how you helped bring down that robbery."

"Why does everyone keep mentioning that?" Ruby complained.

"It's something you should be proud of," said her cousin.

"But I don't want everyone bringing it up wherever I go. I just want to beat the bad guys and fight Grimm without everyone making a big deal about it. Why can't people see that?" As Ruby spoke, Ms. Greenhill circled around and sat next to her fiancé.

Yang leaned forward a bit, clutching his hands between his knees. "You shouldn't worry yourself over something like this. Most people will probably forget about it in a few days anyway. But with all due seriousness, you should be more concerned for your own safety."

"I know. I know."

"Life and death isn't a matter you should take so lightly," Yang said, pointing his index finger up as he began his lecture. "Too many people I knew have died over these past few years. I wouldn't want to lose anyone else, especially not you. Just think how your uncle would feel if you were no longer there to bring joy into his life." Yang took another sip. Ruby could not help but hear a clock ticking as it watched from the kitchen wall. "So, what do you think he's got in store for you next semester?"

Ruby's arms slid themselves behind her cloak until they grasped hold of each other. "Uh… About that. The thing is I'm not going back to Signal. I-I got invited to go to Beacon!"

Two sets of eyes stared back at her in disbelief.

"How old are you again, Ruby?" asked Ms. Greenhill.

"Fifteen."

The great general couldn't help but stumble for a bit. "Tha-that's quite a shocker. Don't take this the wrong way, we're happy for your accomplishment, but this is the first time we've heard of someone your age being accepted into Beacon."

"This is really big news for us," said Ms. Greenhill, "We just don't know what to say. But, congratulations! When did you apply?"

Ruby brought her hands back out in front of her. "The thing is, I-I didn't. After the robbery, the police brought me in, and then Professor Ozpin showed up along with this other guy. The other guy had this fancy outfit like he was supposed to be important or something, but then he just started lecturing me with 'Ms. Rose, you're just a kid! You're not supposed to act like a hero!' I'm a huntress in training for Dust's sake! Ugh! Why are so many people like that?"

Frederica and Yang were still watching her with silence.

"Anyway," Ruby continued, "Professor Ozpin liked my cool moves enough that he suggested I go to Beacon. Isn't it exciting? I mean, I know I'm good with Crescent Rose, but I never thought that I'd be skipping ahead two years... Oh, and he gave me chocolate chip cookies!"

"Well," said Ms. Greenhill, "it's quite astonishing that the headmaster of Beacon would meet with you personally. You've spoken with your uncle about this, right?"

"Of course!" said Ruby. _Why wouldn't I?_

After setting his cup down, Yang pointed his finger at Ruby. "Say, could you describe the other man for me? I might know who you're talking about."

Ruby gave herself a moment to think. She could imagine herself back in the room with the man watching from across the table, the tips of his fingers just touching each other. Professor Ozpin had been sitting beside him on a wooden chair, but the way the pale, lifeless man stood upright made him seem taller in comparison. No soul hid behind those eyes. " _Stay out of matters that do not concern you,"_ the man had said. _A_ ll that came out was a machine-like monotone, dispensing nothing but rules and regulations.

"Well, I don't know," said Ruby. "The guy had brown hair, but he had a few white streaks that go around like this." Ruby cupped her hands and then placed them on each side of her forehead, her elbows facing forward. Once Yang had nodded, Ruby was free to release her arms. "Anyway, he kinda sounded like he was a robot or zombie or something." Ms. Greenhill started to giggle, covering her mouth as she did so. "Hey? What's so funny?"

Yang chuckled a bit as well, "Well, I'm not sure if Defense Minister Oberstein would approve of you calling him a robot."

Ruby stood up from her place. "Oberstein! That was his name!" The girl sat back down and then crossed her legs. "Still, he's just like everyone else. Everyone's always saying 'Ruby, why don't you watch out for yourself. Ruby, don't do this! Ruby, don't do that! Blah! Blah! Blah!' Why can't they see that I can handle myself?"

Yang crossed his arms and glanced out the window. He sighed. "Paul Oberstein might not be the easiest person to get along with, but he usually has everyone's best interests in mind. I know I've gotten into trouble more than a few times under Oberstein's watch." His hand tried reaching up for some invisible cap, but it found nothing aside from his thick, black hair. "But anyway, now that I'm retired, I won't have to worry about that anymore."

Ms. Greenhill leaned forward once again. "So, Ruby, what are your thoughts for this next semester?"

"Well, I'm excited, that's for sure. I mean, it's going to be hard, but I'm sure I can take whatever they throw at me. I've got the _best_ study habits!" Ruby raised her fist in confidence, before letting it sink back down. "Though, I don't really know anyone there. It's just going to be me by myself, like always. But I can deal with it."

"I can't imagine what it must feel like," Yang remarked.

"Right, you don't have any brothers or sisters, do you Ruby," said Ms. Greenhill.

Ruby shook her head from side to side. "Nope. None."

And yet, why did it feel like something was missing?

Yang Wenli leaned over to his fiancé and whispered something into her ear. Frederica nodded, stood up, and then headed into another room, going through the kitchen area.

"There's actually someone I'd like for you to meet," said Yang. "My adoptive ward, Julian. He's planning on going to Beacon next semester as well. He might not have any formal schooling, but he's a fairly capable fighter, though not as good as you or Qrow. Tell me something, Ruby, have you ever heard of Walter Schönkopf?"

"Not really, though he does sound familiar," said Ruby.

"Huh, I thought you'd know who he was. He used to be an instructor at Signal." He tried taking another sip at his tea, but then realized it was empty. "Still, it's lucky your uncle stayed behind during the war."

 _The same thing couldn't be said about dad, though._

By this time, Ms. Greenhill had returned from the other room, holding a picture frame in her hands. "Julian is out getting some groceries right now, but we thought you might want to see what he looks like."

Ms. Greenhill sat down besides Ruby and held the picture frame before her. In it, Yang Wenli was standing beside a youth about Ruby's age, resting his right hand on the youth's shoulder. The boy had shaggy, grayish-blond hair. While Yang had a more relaxed pose, the boy saluted to the camera instead. From the looks of it, the two of them were wearing standard officer's uniforms.

"Aw, he looks like such a cute little puppy!" said Ruby, clasping her hands close in.

Ms. Greenhill placed the frame on the table. "I'm sure the two of you will get along just fine."

"Yeah," Ruby smiled. "Speaking of which, may I see his weapon? Surely the army must have some really cool weapons!"

Yang let out an awkward chuckle while shuffling through the back of his hair. "Well, I'm not sure if he'd appreciate someone going through his stuff, though I don't think he'd actually mind. I doubt his tools are the same caliber as the stuff you're used to seeing. The military budget doesn't let us equip all of our soldiers with transformable weapons, so all Julian has is a D-92 handgun and a tomahawk."

"The gun's standard issue, right?" Ruby asked. She already knew the answer, but it didn't hurt to verify things.

"I think so," said Yang. Still, Vale soldiers using tomahawks was fairly unusual, though the same could be said about her Crescent Rose.

Ruby shifted forward on the couch a bit, "Well what about his semblance? And don't _you_ have any super-cool weapons? Surely you must have something if you're the general and all!"

Yang smiled, raising his hands before him, "I'm afraid that my arsenal is about as humble as Julian's. I'm not really that much of a close combatant. I almost received failing grades when I had to take those classes back at school." Yang let out an awkward laugh. "As for Julian, well, you'd have to ask him yourself. I think his semblance has something to do with flying, because I've seen him floating in the air a few times during his training."

Ruby's gaze turned to the top of the table. _And here I got excited over nothing. Bummer. Well, maybe I can get to see this Julian guy. He looks nice enough._

"It sure is nice and relaxing out in these woods," said Yang, who was looking out through the window. "No more duties to fulfill. No more lives hanging in the balance."

"No Grimm either," added Ruby. "Why is that?"

"Seems like these woods were cleared out some time ago. Even with the war going on, we've somehow managed to keep Patch safe. It's a miracle the war never spread its wings across this island's shores. Lieutenant?"

Ms. Greenhill stood at attention, "Yes, general?"

"I'd like another cup of tea, thank you very much. How about you, Ruby?"

"I'm good," Ruby replied.

After Ms. Greenhill went to get more drinks, Ruby continued conversing with her cousin, catching up on the three years they had lost. Yang and his fiancé described their experiences in the war at great length. Even as Ruby listened to these tales with fascination, she could still see that these had been hard times for the two of them. It was like the old days, when Yang would visit to tell her stories from history's past, which would call her to take on the life of a huntress. Ruby too shared her times and successes at school, recounting the rigorous yet rewarding training her uncle had put her through. Of course, she didn't shy away from her dislike of the thick textbooks she had to read through, which had cost her many nights of sleep.

As the three spoke with each other, Ruby wondered what sorts of new experiences and adventures her life at Beacon would offer. Her journey there was only a few days away, and despite whatever doubts she may have had, Ruby was ready for whatever lied ahead.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read through this. Be sure to offer your opinions and comments. These first few chapters might be a bit slow, but I've got quite a bit planned for this story. Stay tuned, cause this ride is going to be a long one.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As soon as the ship docked alongside the pier, Ruby jumped out, hauling her bright red suitcase over the guard rails.

Some poor pedestrian wandering along the docks turned to face the huntress-in-training. "EGAAH!"

The man leaped out of the way before Ruby's feet could crash into him.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the girl said, quickly fleeing the scene.

She should have been used to traveling to Vale by sea, but the need to attend the opening ceremony created a sense of urgency. _No worries, I should be able to get there on time. I got up early enough for this. Everything should be fine._

 _Maybe it's the suitcase._

Ruby continued along the pier, heading for the main harbor connecting into the city. She then spotted a familiar face.

The girl dragged her suitcase close, and then waved to the young boy, "Hi there, you must be Julian. I'm Ruby."

The boy jumped to attention, and gave the girl a salute. When he realized his mistake, he lowered his hand and then let out a breath of relief, "Oh, uh, it's nice to meet you Ruby. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as stiff or anything. It's just when you've been with the military for so long, it becomes a habit. Yang mentioned you came over for a surprise visit."

"Yup," said Ruby. "Say, how did you get here so early?"

Julian looked off to the side while reaching for the back of his neck. "I guess it's just habit. The general usually has trouble waking up, so I always have to look after him."

"Yup," Ruby nodded, "that pretty much sums up my cousin Yang."

Yang really wasn't the most diligent of people. It was a miracle he even became a general in the first place. But then again, people did call him "Miracle Yang," given what he had managed to accomplish.

"So," said Ruby as she leaned her weight from side to side, "shouldn't we get going?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Alrighty!"

The two of them continued along the boardwalk until they found a ramp going into the main city. There had been a few stairways edging alongside the wall, which elevated the town from the harbor, but obviously they would have trouble bringing their bags up the steps. The two had passed a row of stalls along the way, and Ruby couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the black case strapped to Julian's back, along with the gun holstered to his left side.

Just as they were up on the ramp, Ruby turned to Julian and said, "Do you know anyone who's going?"

"Not really. I don't remember meeting anyone my age while in the army. I guess you could say you're as much a stranger to this as I am." Julian let out a slight chuckle. "Though, I could introduce you to some of the staff and show you around the place."

"You know our professors? What are they like? I can't wait to meet them!"

At this point, Ruby accidentally let go of her suitcase, causing it to tip over.

 _OhGod!OhGod!OhGod!OhGod!_

Ruby scrambled to bring the red baggage back upright. Julian tried to pick it up as well, but he seemed to have frozen in place when Ruby looked up at him.

"You alright?" Julian asked.

Ruby wiped her forehead. "Yeah, I've got it. This suitcase is a real pain in the butt. Didn't they used to have us ship our stuff?"

"Maybe. I guess it wouldn't be too surprising if they dropped that. Lots of things have changed over the years."

Ruby stepped on ahead to reach flatter terrain. Here, a single road ran roughly parallel to the docks, caging in a series of apartments, shops, and other nondescript buildings behind it. Right at the corner across the street stood a bus station and an accompanying sign.

Judging by the humble size of its buildings and its broad but plain harbors, it was easy to assume that Vale was nothing more than a small-town port on a first glance. But Ruby knew otherwise. Vale was a vast place, and the dozen cranes hanging in the sky highlighted this fact. While many people sported motor vehicles of their own, bus was by far one of the easiest ways to get around in this place.

There was the train as well, but that wouldn't get them to where they needed to go. Plus, the nearest station was a couple miles away.

Still, Vale didn't seem any different than it normally did. _I wonder what Julian meant by that?_ There had been a time when access to the city had been restricted, when the conflict had shifted to northern Vytal. _No one must leave the island._ That was what the soldiers said to everyone at home, including Ruby.

"Ruby?"

The girl shook her head when Julian interrupted. "Oh! Right! The bus! Let's get going!"

Seeing no cars in the immediate vicinity, the two of them strode along the crosswalk, and then stood next to one of the station's supports. Ruby glanced at a schedule secured behind a glass case bolted onto the side of the station. The next bus would arrive in about four minutes.

Julian pulled out a scroll from his pocket and opened it up. "We should arrive there a few hours early. Let's just hope we won't have too much trouble at the airport."

As soon as he put the device away, Ruby spoke up, "So, have you ever flown in an airship before?"

"A few times," said Julian.

Ruby leapt in front of the boy, holding both fists close together. "Really? What's it like? What's it like?"

"Pleasant, I guess you could say." Julian drifted his gaze slightly down and to the right, his eyes half closed.

"Is something troubling you?"

"No, why would you think that?"

 _He looks like such a cute, little, puppy-dog! I wonder if I can take him home with me? He'd look so good together with Zwei! Oh wait! What am I thinking? He's a boy, Ruby, not another pet. I shouldn't be having these thoughts about some guy I just met. What would Crescent Rose think? Bad Ruby! Bad!_

Just then, Julian raised his hand to his mouth and let out a soft chuckle.

 _Oh God, why does he have to look like that when he laughs? This is bad! This is really bad! Just step away nice and slow..._

"What? Is something funny?" asked Ruby.

"Sorry, Ruby, it's just you had this look on your face." _Well, let's hope that never happens again._ Ruby stepped back towards her suitcase and looked around.

"Hey Julian, why are people looking at us?"

"Who knows? Could be any number of reasons."

"Do you think…"

"Hey look! It's here!" Julian pointed his finger towards a bus coming from down the street.

Ruby leapt up into the air. "Alright! Off to Beacon we go!"

Just as the bus came to a stop, Ruby scrambled to locate some spare change from her pockets. The vehicle's doors folded open, and Ruby hauled her bag up the steps. Julian was not too far behind. Once on top, Ruby pulled the change from her pocket and handed it to the driver, who raised an eyebrow at her.

Just as Ruby's companion started to pull out his change, the driver swept her hand at him and said, "Aw, no need to worry about that, sugah! Just keep it."

Julian seemed stunned by the woman's words. "Th-that's generous of you. But still, it wouldn't be right if I didn't pay. So here."

The driver then accepted the exchange. "Well, seein' as you're one of them good soldier boys, I figured I'd do y'all a favor. But if you insist. You two oughta take a seat before people start complainin', ya know." She turned to Ruby. "You're one of them academy students, right?"

"Yes, mam!" said the huntress-in-training.

"Well, ain't that swell."

Right after that, Ruby seated herself in the closest spot she could find, leaving her bag in a designated area nearby. Julian instinctively saluted to the woman, but then seated himself opposite Ruby. _I wonder what that was about?_ As she looked up to face the ceiling, Ruby heard Julian let out a sigh.

"You know her?" the scythe user asked.

No response.

A few seconds later, Ruby heard the doors shut. The bus quickly turned around the corner and then sped straight forward. Upon a quick glance, there seemed to be a few others who looked like they could have been students as well. No one she knew though. _Hmm… I wonder if they've got any good equipment? Can't see anything. Why did they have to make these seats so big? Hold on! Maybe if I just do this? Yes! Just a little closer. I just need one itsy-bitsy little look…_

"Uh, Ruby, you really shouldn't be leaning that close to people."

* * *

The road eventually led into a large airfield, sandwiched between the edges of the main city and its southern district. Two flat-top buildings stood beside the main roadway as it circled around a leveled parking structure, with only a single corridor and an overhead rail system connecting the two. Each of these had an arm extending outward, with only six airships standing nearby as people flocked to them. A third hub was meant to stand to the left of these two, but only upturned dirt and stone remained in its place. What remained of the overhead train system passed through both a metro hub and a secondary parking structure before ending just where the tracks had fallen. The whole complex featured a multitude of runways, an artifact from when Vale's aircraft needed distance before rising off the ground. Craters dotted the left side of the field, especially near the airport's absent hub.

Ruby tried taking it all in, kneeling on her seat with her hands planted on the window. "What happened here?" Ruby thought to herself.

Julian's voice had a dullness reminiscent of death. "The enemy sought to remove what little air power we had. Our defenses were thin, so it was only inevitable that some of them would get through. The city's perimeter was too large for us to manage, so we had to hole up in the academy." Ruby turned for a moment to face her companion. The boy was reclined all the way back in his seat, with both arms behind his head. His case, most likely holding his tomahawk, sat on the seat right next to him as he looked up to the ceiling.

Ruby adjusted herself, transferring her compacted scythe to her lap. She held her combat skirt close to her legs as she sat down. "Just what was it like?"

"Many days, many nights, watching, waiting for the enemy to come. Supplies dwindling day by day. How long until we would run out? How long until the enemy dusted us to oblivion? How long until we could no longer feed those we had sworn to protect? Only long after we had lost count of the days did we find our chance. But it was only because of him that we were able to free ourselves from destruction."

 _Yang._

The bus pulled up to the curb sprawling alongside the first hub. As soon as the doors opened, Ruby strapped her weapon back in place, stood up, and then picked up her suitcase. Shortly after she was off, Julian followed close behind and then started moving to the entrance.

About three-quarters of the way there, Julian faced her and said, "You've never been here before, right?"

Ruby put on a cheery smile, trying to wash away the gloominess from just a minute before. "Nope! Well, first time's the charm! Lets go!" A light smile appeared on Julian's face and the duo continued on forward.

Once inside, the two immediately faced a sign telling Beacon students to go right. After going in that direction, the two of them found a decently-sized line leading to one of the security checkpoints.

Ruby made her move.

"Ruby, wait up!"

Julian shouted as the girl bolted for the nearest transformable weapon she could find. _Must resist the urge to touch. But it's so shiny! I bet it fires two-thousand rounds per minute! And it's so sleek and aerodynamic! KYAAAAA~!_

The boy in front of her jumped back when he noticed Ruby reaching over to grab his scimitar-machine-pistol. "Whoa-whoa-whoa! Watcha doin', lady? Ain't nobody touchin' my boy Sinbad!"

Julian stopped himself just before running into the boy, and then raised his hands in front. "We're really sorry about that, sir. We didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

"Okay, buddy." The boy walked away as the line began to move. "Jeez, what a freak."

 _Well, that's one friendship ruined._

Ruby turned to her companion, "Sorry about that. It's just I get a bit overexcited when I see a weapon I like."

"It's fine really."

After taking a few steps forward, Ruby turned back and said, "So what did you name yours?"

"Huh?"

"You know." Ruby gestured to the black case as well as the gun strapped to her companion's hip.

"Oh, I never actually got around to naming them. Strange, isn't it? You would think that after all these years I would have thought of something."

 _Maybe my hobbies are a bit weird. I just hope I find somebody I can share my interests with._

As the two waited in line, Ruby spotted a peculiar white-haired girl near the front of the line. She was escorted by a black-suited man hauling a silver case. Ruby couldn't explain what, but something about the girl intrigued her. Maybe it was the fine, long rapier, featuring a multi-chambered cylinder near the hilt for dust cartridges. Or it might have been the girl's appreciation for combat skirts, or the way that she bound her hair just so that her ponytail hanged over to the side with a stylish flair. Whatever the case, the girl seemed to exude a certain sense of elegance.

Still, it would be awkward to mention her now.

After passing by a guard asking for identification, the two of them stepped up to the main security checkpoint, featuring a large metallic table leading into an X-ray machine. To the left of this structure stood a personnel scanning device, which led into the rest of the airport. Metal walls, reaching about a foot away from the ceiling, prevented any other points of entry, aside from the other security checkpoints.

An officer placed a large tray onto the platform in front of them. "Place any weapons and Dust-related equipment you may have into this tray. Place any luggage that you have onto the table for further inspection." The two of them then complied, though Ruby wasn't exactly comfortable with leaving her beloved gun-scythe with random strangers. "Proceed through the checkpoint."

Ruby then stepped into the semi-transparent, cylindrical chamber, stopping when another security officer instructed her to do so. _Great dust, this is taking so long. I never had to go through any of this before. Why does this place have to be so cram packed with security? No worries, we've got a few hours left before the ceremony starts._

Once the process was done, Ruby stepped on through and then retrieved her things once security was done inspecting her suitcase. After that, she walked over to a column nearby and leaned up against it.

Ruby walked back up to her companion once he was through. "Is it always like this?"

"Yeah, why?" Julian replied.

"How long did that take us?"

"Maybe five to eight minutes. Let's go."

On another column just to her right, Ruby spotted a sign directing the students towards the proper gate. As the duo walked on, Ruby turned to her companion and said, "Say, you have any idea who that white-haired girl was? She looked like someone important. I mean, how many people have servants or bodyguards?"

"I think that's supposed to be Weiss Schnee, current heiress to the Schnee Dust Company," said Julian.

 _The what?_

"Wait, who are they again?" Ruby asked.

"The Schnee Dust Company. They were one of our suppliers during the war, but I don't blame you if you've never heard of them before. They used to have a monopoly on the world's dust supply, but the war hit them pretty hard. The enemy destroyed their headquarters in Atlas and targeted their facilities worldwide. Now, Vale's the only place where they still have any business."

"Huh," Ruby remarked. "You sure seem to know a lot." Julian simply nodded with a light smile. _Maybe I should try their dust some day._

Once at the gate, the duo faced an open doorway, in front of which stood yet another person waiting to check their scrolls. After that, they made an immediate turn right, where the walkway opened back outside. A black-sprayed, skeletal ramp snaked down to the ground. _Why haven't they installed elevators yet?_

After a long trek down, the two had reached ground level. They then stopped to take a breather. "Why did they make us go inside and then go back out when we could have just stayed outside the whole time?" whined Ruby. Up ahead loomed the airship with people filing towards it.

 _Another line? Well, at least it's going by quickly._

* * *

"Hey look, Julian! I can see Patch from here!"

Ruby looked upon the city with awe. They were really, really high up. Although she could not make out any distinctive landmarks such as Signal Academy, she could still see the bluish silhouette of her home island out past the western shore. Large ships crept along the water like ants, even in the great river where bridges were still undergoing repairs. Every now and then, Ruby spotted crane and crew resurrecting those buildings that had fallen over the past few years. The city of Vale was vibrant with activity: dust, aluminum, and steel forming its blood.

Still, there were areas within the central districts that were cut off from the rest. Here, factories, apartments, corporate headquarters, and independent shops still stood, bearing the marks of war. Machines torn apart were left to die in a few choice alleyways, doomed to rust and decay until the end of time. Even the streets bore tracks and great mine-craters from when the enemy had marched through. Yet even so, much of the city remained intact and untouched, despite the siege ending only months before.

Ruby backed away from the window and turned to face her companion. Only, he wasn't there. Nor was his suitcase. _Maybe he's in the bathroom. Hmm… Maybe I should try speaking with that Weiss girl. I wonder where she is?_

The young weapons expert looked around for her prospective comrade-in-arms. The gallery was packed with aspiring students, along with the suitcases they brought with them. One of these ships used to travel directly to Ruby's home island to escort students to Beacon, but that was when she was still a child.

 _That was a long time ago._

Ruby shook her head and continued searching. Some boy on the opposite side was having trouble standing up, and some of the ship guards came to assist him. A pair of overhead screens was displaying the news for the day: some stuff about fighting going on in Atlas or something. Whatever it was, it didn't seem all that important.

 _Found you!_

As soon as the heiress came into her sights, Ruby began shuffling her way through the crowd. She circled around to the girl's left side, just out of sight of the suited escort. Once in place, Ruby awkwardly stepped in front of her prospective comrade.

The white-haired girl planted her right hand on her hip. "Can I help you?" she asked with a harsh tone.

Ruby tried waving at the heiress. "Uh, h-hi, I'm Ruby Rose!"

 _This isn't working! Gotta think of something! Gotta think of something!_

Weiss's counterattack was as swift as it was painful. "Did you have anything else to say or are you just going to stand there like an idiot?" _Why does this girl have to be so rude?_

"I just felt like talking. That's all." _Though, you don't really seem to be in the mood._

"How old are you anyway? You look way too young to be a Beacon student."

 _Why did she have to ask that question?_

"I thought your rapier looked really cool. How…"

"Don't try and change the subject! Answer my question! What is a little child like you doing on a ship headed for the academy?"

"But you're…"

"Well?" demanded Weiss, her arms crossed.

 _This isn't worth it._

Ruby started walking away from the heiress. Unfortunately, she could still hear Weiss screaming from behind her. "Hey, where do you think you're going? You said you wanted to talk! Get back here! I'm Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company! Answer my question, dumbnut!" The crowd slowly drifted away from the two girls. Some of the other students watched the events unfold, including that one guy who called Ruby a freak.

Ruby let out a groan, turning around to face her adversary. "I'm fifteen, okay? Look, Prof…"

"Fifteen? How in Dust did they even let you in here? I had to train all my life just to get a chance to come here! Why on Remnant would they give a dunce like you a free pass? This is great, just great!"

At that moment, the footage on the screens changed to reveal a gray-haired man with a broad mustache and a burgundy coat. Weiss growled, but she turned her attention to the announcement nevertheless.

The man cleared his throat before speaking. "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the most prestigious academy of Beacon! My name is Professor Peter Port, and I am the assistant director here at the academy. As much as you would all like to listen to the extraordinary tales of my hunting exploits, my time here must be brief. You have all gathered here from various corners of the world, whether it be from Mistral, Atlas, or even Vale itself. We live in difficult times, but it is up to us hunters and huntresses to help preserve the peace we have gained, and to protect our civilization from the evil Grimm. This may be my first year as assistant director, but I am confident that we can instill in you the strength, the courage, and the skills to help you face whatever danger the future may hold. The trials you will face tomorrow will push you to your very limits, and you shall face many foul beasts willing to tear you all to pieces. But worry not, for I believe in both your abilities and your tactical intuition. May the trials proceed in your favor, and be sure to come to the opening ceremony later this afternoon."

Sometime during the assistant director's speech, Julian tapped Ruby on her left shoulder, and then gestured toward the opposite side of the room. Ruby nodded in confirmation, and the two of them took this opportunity to sneak away from the unpleasant heiress.

Once the speech was done, Julian turned to Ruby and said, "I take it your encounter with Ms. Schnee didn't go so well."

"Not really," Ruby said as she looked to the floor. "I'm not good at making friends, am I?"

Julian reclined on the flat wall underneath the sloped glass, "Well, you didn't exactly have the best of starts. Maybe you'll have better luck the next time around."

"I dunno. I mean, I guess I could go without friends."

"There's no need to say that, Ruby. We've still got each other. I mean, we just met today, but still. I didn't really expect that I'd be making friends with anyone on my first day. I-I'm grateful for that."

"Well, if you say so."

"Anyway, they really should do more checkups for people who ride these things. This is the first time I've seen someone throw up on a passenger airship."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello Everyone. This chapter came out relatively quickly since I already had most of it typed up. The editing phase went a lot faster than I expected this time around. The next chapter might be a while though.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After the assistant director made a brief statement, the headmaster stepped up to the microphone and addressed the class, "Good afternoon, students. I'm not exactly one for making big speeches, but a lot of things have happened this past year. As an academy of international importance, Beacon does not exist isolated from events occurring in the outside world. This academy was founded in mankind's continuing efforts to ward off the ever-present threat of the Grimm. Yet, this does not shield us from the political realities that we face. Many of you have trained in these very halls under the wing of our staff. Many of your parents have fought, and died, for the very ground and soil on which you stand. We have lost many good friends over these past few years.

"From what we have witnessed, some of you may be wondering how we can still function without plunging into despair or apathy. I wonder that myself from time to time. But even so, you students need not worry. No matter what troubles we may have faced in the past, Beacon is still strong. We are finest institution in all of Remnant for defending the rights of civilization from whatever evils may try to undermine it. As future hunters and huntresses, you are the protectors of tomorrow. Though we have earned peace for the time being, it will not last indefinitely. You must be prepared to face whatever forces may conspire against the harmony that the five kingdoms have established. Even so, I ask that you stay above the games of politics that kings and councilmen play among themselves. As hunters and huntresses, you must make the safety and security of humanity first, and foremost, among your concerns.

"I see many of you out there, watching with casual indifference or letting yourselves get distracted by whatever catches your eye. Some of you may have come here hoping you can become the heroes of the stories your family told you when you were still a child. I know many of you will soon forget this message as soon as you wander out of these doors and await tomorrow's examination. But no matter what, you must never forget the burden that you must bear as the protectors of civilization. I wish you all good luck. Do not disappoint me." Professor Ozpin stepped away from the mike, and then exited the stage with his arms crossed behind his back. As the assistant director and the rest of the staff watched the headmaster leave, he neither paused nor turned to acknowledge them.

Professor Port slowly stepped up to the mike, tapped it, and then addressed the class. "Well, that was quite a speech, wasn't it? Now, I'm sure many of you are wondering just what sorts of exciting adventures we have planned for you for the rest of this afternoon. Why, even my fingers are itching to drive my ax through some unsuspecting Ursa's head! So…." The assistant director went through a list of activities scheduled for the rest of the day, including a tour starting in half an hour. Everyone was expected to spend the night in the academy ballroom, where sleeping bags would be provided.

Once the speech was over, Julian Mintz turned to Ruby and said, "Say, I was thinking of going to go over to Headmaster Ozpin's office. Would you like to come with?"

Ruby thought for a moment, raising her hand close to her chin. "I was actually thinking of checking out the tour, but you can go on your own if you want."

"You sure? I could go with you if you'd like."

"Don't worry about me! I'm a big girl, remember?" Ruby had both a confidence and innocence that Julian couldn't help but find endearing. The former soldier never had any siblings before, or parents for that matter. Maybe this was what it was like to have a little sister.

 _This world could use people like her._

"Sure thing. Let's meet in the dining hall around five-thirty." They had gone there only an hour before, just after they had dropped off their luggage. Ruby would probably know where to find it.

Before heading for the door at the end of the auditorium, Julian waved to Ruby, who then returned the gesture.

* * *

The doors slid open automatically as Julian stepped into the headmaster's office, with two columns flanking his view. Professor Ozpin sat behind his clockwork desk, fiddling around with a photo frame.

As soon as Ozpin saw the boy enter the room, he planted the frame down and stood to attention. "Julian."

The boy instinctively saluted to the headmaster. "Professor Ozpin."

Ozpin moved away from his custom chair and circled around the desk, currently loaded with piles of documents. "I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am for what General Yang has done. Without him, Beacon wouldn't be standing here today."

"Yeah. Still, it's a shame that so many lives have been lost." _Bucock. Merkatz. Greenhill. Goodwitch. Ironwood. Even Captain Schönkopf. So many people have died in this war._

 _And yet, that man still lives through it all._

 _Reinhard von Lohengramm._

Ozpin tilted his head as he came close. "What brings you into my office? You look a little tense."

Julian stood to attention when the headmaster placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Oh, right. I just wanted to say that I liked your speech, Professor Ozpin."

"I usually don't make big speeches like that, but with what's been happening, I just feel different, somehow. Anyway, I was actually hoping that you'd stop by. I've got an assignment for you. Consider it extra credit."

 _An assignment already? Why would he have us do something when we're not even enrolled yet? I guess I should see what he wants me to do first. It shouldn't be too much of an issue._

Ozpin turned around and retrieved a scroll sitting on the desk right next to his coffee mug. He opened it up, typed in a few things, and then showed it to Julian. It displayed a blond-haired boy with white plate armor strapped onto his chest and shoulders. Julian remembered seeing the boy back on the airship, rushing into the lavatory just after Julian had left it.

"Jaune Arc," Julian read off the device. "Professor Ozpin, why are you showing me this?"

"Jaune is just one of the many fine students among our pool of applicants. He's received a number of outstanding marks, and he has good grades overall. The thing is, his transcripts don't match up with our old state records."

"You brought him here knowing this?"

Ozpin turned to face a large clockwork mechanism embedded into the left side of the room. "We've had to lower our standards for potential applicants. We didn't have enough people to fill the number of spaces we had available. Strange to hear that coming out of my own mouth."

"Not at all, professor. From the looks of things, there just aren't that many people who can apply these days," said Julian. _Not to mention, Atlas is a mess, the trade strip is drawing away talent, and Mistral's half the power it used to be. And that's not getting into the situation with Jotunheim and Vacuo. That leaves just us, and we've got problems of our own._

Ozpin walked back over to the table and reached for his mug. The professor then upturned it, seeing that it was empty. "Anyway, I want you to keep an eye on Jaune during the examination. I try to set as high a bar as possible for my students, and you know I don't like to go easy on them. Jaune Arc comes from one of the northern farm regions, one without a major combat school in the area. While he does come from a long line of hunters, that doesn't necessarily mean he's inherited his family's skills. As things stand, I don't think he'll survive the exam. I want you to make sure that he does."

Julian was puzzled. Why would Ozpin go out of his way to protect one potential applicant? Julian wasn't against the idea, but Ozpin usually didn't show this much leniency towards his students.

Instead of mentioning that, Julian tried asking something else, "But, why me? Why not have one of your staff do it instead?"

"Because I know that you'll do it. I can't take the chance that other students would be willing to accept this task or that someone else would help the boy out of compassion. You're used to taking orders, so I know that you'll follow through. Once everyone's sorted into teams, we can get him up to speed. When we turn an untrained country bumpkin into a master hunter, the Defense Minister will have to start showing us some respect."

"Aye, sir," Julian responded.

The Defense Minister didn't really get along with Professor Ozpin, or anyone else for that matter. The man frequently chastised General Yang for his lack of professionalism, along with his laziness overall. Julian had also heard that Oberstein wasn't fond of Ozpin's unorthodox teaching methods either. Although he wasn't the highest ranking official on Vale's ruling council, the man leveraged his position for everything it was worth, and he exerted a great deal of influence on Vale's military. Combined with his cold and callous nature, everyone found the man difficult to work with, Julian included.

"You and Paul Oberstein haven't been getting along well, have you?"

Ozpin sat back in his chair. "The man thinks he can take my job. I've been running this place for years now, before people even had a dusting clue who Oberstein was." The headmaster took a slow breath in, and then hissed out. "It's times like this when I miss Ironwood." He crossed his legs and shifted over to face Julian. "So, why did you decide to apply to Beacon, Julian?"

"Wha-Oh! It's simple, really." Julian reached up to remove his non-existent cap. "I wish to better myself as a soldier."

"Julian, you do realize that this is a school dedicated to training hunters and huntresses. You are already a good soldier, and besides, I don't think Yang Wenli appreciates that you're going against his advice."

"I know that, but still. The war has weakened us as a nation, and though it may not look like it, our adversaries have felt the blow of its impact. While the wrath of Jotunheim may have subsided for now, I fear another enemy may leap forward from the shadows."

"The Grimm."

"Maybe, maybe not. Still, I know I cannot share the same life as a civilian, knowing the potential for danger awaiting us in the future. I know I have trained well under Captain Schönkopf, and General Yang has taught me everything I know about strategy and tactics, but I don't think it'll be enough. I must become the best soldier I can be, for Yang's sake."

"Even though he did not wish for you to follow this path?"

"I know that he might have said otherwise, but this is what is best for me. I might not be qualified to be Yang's successor, nor do I share his great mind, but if I wish to follow in his footsteps, then I feel that this is the path I must take. And besides, I think that if we wish to prevent future conflict, then maybe... maybe we'll find our answers if we look into our past."

For a minute the room was filled with silence as the professor pushed himself up from his seat. "Well," said Ozpin, "that's quite a noble cause, though it isn't the first time I've heard it. Though, it's a bit strange. We don't get many students who wish to peruse our historical archives."

"It's not just that, Professor Ozpin. This might sound a bit childish, but I've heard theories regarding the origins of human civilization beyond the Northwestern Trade Belt. If…"

"While I admire the courage of your ambitions, you really should set realistic goals for yourself. The land of Styx is a Grimm infested hellhole; even I do not wish to venture there. While we may find answers regarding our adversaries, any expedition will meet with serious casualties if not outright failure. We cannot afford to lose anyone by sending them on meaningless adventures, especially at the state we're in right now." It was a bit disappointing to hear those words, but Julian could understand Ozpin's concerns. It was a dumb idea anyway. "It was good that you stopped by, Julian, but shouldn't you be getting back to the others? Now is a good time to start making some friends."

"Aye, Professor Ozpin. I'll be sure to keep an eye on Jaune. Take care, professor." And with that, Julian gave the headmaster a salute before heading back through the automatic doorway. Ozpin stood where he was, pressing his glasses up at the center.

* * *

Julian sidestepped past one of the great stone columns and then seated himself across from Ruby. His tray, big enough to hold three plates and a drink, held a turkey sandwich, cream of tomato soup, and a glass of soda.

Ruby's tray had a pair of teriyaki wings, a slice of lasagna, a slice of watermelon, and a glass of milk. There was also a rather elaborate sundae sitting on the right side of the tray, contained in one of the larger salad bowls the school provided. Four full scoops of vanilla ice cream sat at the bottom of the bowl, glazed on top with whipped cream and strawberry syrup. This in turn was topped with sprinkles, powdered graham cracker, and bits of Oreo cookies. Two halves of a banana had been jammed into the side of the dessert, and four sugar cookies had been planted into the topmost scoop.

Julian had no idea how Ruby could even think about stuffing it all in.

The light of the setting sun penetrated through the tall windows two tables behind Ruby. Many spots where the sun had shined remained vacant.

Just as Ruby was about to take a bite of her chicken, a boy sitting to her right waved to the former soldier. "Sup, Julian."

"Hey," replied Yang's ward. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

"Nah," said Jaune. Ruby had introduced Julian to the boy once they had returned from the tour. He seemed likable enough. The blond-haired boy leaned in close to Julian. "You really think she can eat all that?"

The former Knight of the Rose simply shrugged. He noticed that the boy only had a bowl of salad, a plate of fries, and a glass of water.

While finishing off her main plate, Ruby looked to her two friends and said, "What? I'm a big girl." Some of the teriyaki sauce had gotten onto the sides of her lips. There was no doubt that the chicken probably tasted fantastic, but Julian didn't really want the glaze sticking to his fingers while he ate.

"Excuse me, but do you three mind if I sit next to you?" The voice came from a red-haired girl standing to Julian's left. Her golden armor had been made in the traditional Mistralian style.

Ruby stood up and planted her hands on the table. "Oh my god! You're that girl who was on the Pumpkin Pete's cereal box!"

Jaune spat out his drink. "Holy crap! That was you?"

 _Someone's going to have to clean up that later. Maybe I should get some napkins._

Pyrrha Nikos let out an awkward laugh, with her eyes shifting around the hall. "Yes, that was me. So… does that mean…"

"I thought they only did that for stars and athletes!" said Jaune.

"Yeah!" joined Ruby. "Wait, what?"

"Well," said Pyrrha, "I did win the Mistral regional tournament four times in a row."

"That's incredible! You must be some sort of big superstar or something!" _Shouldn't Ruby have already known this?_

Then again, the island of Patch was relatively insulated from the rest of the world, aside from its proximity to Vale. Outside of Signal Academy, there wasn't really much to the place. _I guess that's why Yang wanted to retire there._

"I guess you can say that I've had more than my share of fame." Pyrrha placed her tray right next to Julian and then seated herself. It was plain enough that the girl had been a bit hesitant to mention her accomplishments, seeing how often her eyes shifted to the side. People from a number of tables nearby had begun to glance in the group's direction. Julian could hear a few chance whispers among them. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos by the way. Who might you three be?"

Ruby, Jaune, and Julian then took this opportunity to introduce themselves. The warrior's eyes seemed fixated on the Arc lad for some reason.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yang's ward noticed Weiss sitting alone at the far end of the hall, glaring at him with an open scowl on her face.

Julian instinctively turned away, covering part of his eyes to keep the heiress's stare at bay. He didn't actually know if she was still looking at them, but he didn't want to take the chance and find out.

The former soldier turned to face the four-time champion. "So, what's life like in Mistral?"

"I guess we're pretty well off. Is there something in particular that you're asking?"

Julian wasn't quite sure how to phrase his question. Pyrrha probably took for granted many things that people such as Jaune or Ruby would find unusual, given her Eastern upbringing. He had seen this even when he had traveled to the Midwestern regions of Vytal. The people there placed a great deal of emphasis on ancestry and made wide use of the area's prolific bamboo shoots. Even the girl's manner of speaking seemed divorced from the laconic Julian was used to hearing.

More importantly, the boy was interested in knowing how the secession of Jotunheim had affected the people of Mistral, and how they fared under High Lord Reuenthal's rule. Despite the enmity between the two kingdoms, they still maintained ties with each other. Jotunheim's continued participation in the Mistral Regional Tournament was just one aspect of this.

Julian's companion, however, was quicker in forging the right question. "So, just what was last semester's tournament like? I mean, I know they're our enemies and all, but how good are Jotunheim's hunters anyway?"

"They're… surprisingly good actually," said the champion of Mistral. "Even I had a bit of trouble in the last tournament. One of them even had a semblance that was capable of slowing down time, if only for a few seconds. I still beat him in the end."

"That sounds amazing!" said Ruby.

Jaune looked up from eating his salad. "Aren't they all supposed to be Faunus folk or something?"

"Sort of," Julian commented.

"Not all of them," said Pyrrha, "but almost all of those who participated in the tournament were Faunus. That boy I mentioned earlier was part hedgehog."

"Well," said Ruby, "I've always wanted to see a Faunus up close. They've got these really fluffy cat-ears and they look really cute and I've always wanted to pet one."

"Whoa, slow down there, Ruby," said Jaune.

"Sorry!"

After Pyrrha had finished chewing on a burger, she pointed her finger toward the rest of the group. "This might be a strange thing to ask, but did any of you train in here before?"

"No," said Ruby, "why… oh wait, never mind."

"Were you going to say something?"

"I was just wondering why you thought any of us would have been here before, but then I remembered that Yang told me that…"

"Wait," said Jaune, "you know General Yang Wenli? _The_ General Yang Wenli?"

"Well, yeah, he's my cousin."

For twenty seconds, Jaune sat where he was with his jaw hanging low. After that pause, the boy stood up and shot both his hands into the air. "Holy cow, that's incredible! Just, wow! First, the girl on the cereal box comes and sits with me and now I find out that the girl I'm sitting next to is related to the Hero of Vale! Just, good lord! This must be my lucky day!" Jaune would probably have a heart attack if Julian said anything. More people were starting to look in the group's direction.

Pyrrha seemed to notice this as well. "Maybe we should finish this conversation after we're done eating."

"Good idea," remarked Julian as he began working on the rest of his tray. Ruby and Pyrrha took this as a signal to finish off their plates, though Ruby started to slow down once she reached her massive dessert plate. Yang's ward still had no idea how the girl was able to stuff it all down.

"How did it get so quiet all of a sudden?" Jaune remarked. Only now did the blond continue with his meal, seeing that the previous conversation seemed to vanish out of thin air.

Julian and Pyrrha had finished their plates almost simultaneously, but Ruby was still working on her sundae. A few of the other groups looked like they had moved to sit closer to them.

The champion of Mistral turned to face the boy across from her. "So, Jaune, where are you from?"

"Huh?" he responded. "Oh, I'm from the countryside."

"Where's that?"

"Northeast of here. My parents are part of the Farmer's Association, so we've got a few acres for growing corn. We come from a long line of hunters and huntresses, mostly because of how often the Grimm keep showing up. The military never seemed bother us though, even when the war was going on."

By this time, Ruby had finished with her dessert, and was now struggling to lick the ice cream and syrup off her lips.

"Ready?" said Pyrrha.

Jaune raised his eyebrow a bit, seeing as he didn't quite understand why the girl was in such a hurry. Ruby nodded as well. Everyone started rising up from their current locations. Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha then lifted their trays up and made their way to the nearest exit.

Pyrrha turned to face Julian, "Aren't you coming with?"

"You three go on ahead, I've got a few things to take care of." Julian raised his hand as if to salute, but then caught himself. His three new friends turned back around and continued on their path.

Julian stepped over to a nearby napkin dispenser and started working on cleaning up the mess Ruby and Jaune had made. A few crumbs had wandered onto the floor, so he made sure to take care of those as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Julian saw Weiss rise up from her seat and march towards the exit.

 _This doesn't look like it's going to end well, is it._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Jaune's hand was raised, though the headmaster didn't seem to take notice of this. "Uh, sir, I've got a question. So this landing strategy thing…."

 _He isn't ready for this at all._

As Jaune tried to wrest answers from the headmaster, Julian used what little time he had to survey his surroundings and to figure out a way to keep Jaune from breaking his spine. Julian had never seen the exam in person, but he still should have prepared the boy for what was to come. Already he was failing his mission.

One by one, the automated springboards launched each prospective student up into the air. It would only be seconds before it was Julian's turn.

The Emerald Forest below used to be filled with an abundance of trees, but most of it had been cleared out by Reinhard's forces to make room for drill tanks, armored vehicles, and mechanized infantry. While part of the forest remained intact toward the north, most of it was filled with stumps and new saplings, with tread marks, footprints, and bits of machinery crossing over them. Grimm stood within plain sight. In fact, Julian had seen a pack of Beowolves struggling to scale the cliff while walking to the test site.

Julian hated to admit it, but his semblance was probably the most suited for this sort of situation. While everyone else would need to find an indirect use of their abilities to soften their landing, all Julian needed to do was direct the air around him to slow his descent. The way it worked was a bit counter-intuitive - directing the air in one direction would pull Julian the opposite way, for instance - but over the course of the years he had gotten used to his powers, with Captain Schönkopf's help of course. He was grateful for having the man as his instructor.

 _Only a few more before me._ He needed to think fast. As soon as he launched, he would slow himself down until he was completely stationary. Then, just before it was Jaune's turn, Julian would speed back up until the two of them were roughly in line with each other. Then, he'd push himself back, grab onto the boy, and then slow them both down to safety. _The timing's got to be perfect on this, though. Let's just hope this works._

 _ **-WHAM!-**_

And just like that, Julian was spinning through the air. He threw both his arms out, and redirected the airflow around him until he was completely upright. He didn't need to bring out his tomahawk yet, as it was too easy to lose from this height. He held both palms in front, and then channeled the air in front of him to slow his speed. While he could feel traces of the wind breezing around him, he mostly felt the counteractive forces of his semblance pressing against his palms, feet, and chest, like an invisible hand pushing him back. While his semblance didn't wear him out as quickly as some of the other ones did, he still couldn't afford to use it liberally, especially since overuse could lead to painful cramps.

 **-CRACK!-**

"AAAAGH!" Julian screamed as the next student slammed into his back at full force.

"Hey, watch where you're going! Geez, I'm going to have bruises for weeks!" Julian was too busy trying to cope with the pain to bother with trying to see who this person was. His aura had shielded him from the full brunt of the blow, but it didn't do much to stop the pain. Not to mention, it could give way any minute now. Although Julian couldn't turn around to face the cliff, the boy could imagine Ozpin chuckling to himself, taking a sip from his favorite coffee mug.

Only a few seconds later, Julian heard Jaune screaming through the air.

 _Crap!_

Julian sprung to attention, and he pushed his palms out to guide his landing through the oncoming trees. The girl on his back clung on tightly to him, unwilling to use her own abilities for whatever reason. In the sky above, Julian saw a red and gold spear soaring towards Jaune. _Wait, that's Pyrrha's spear, right?_

The former soldier stopped in place, planting his feet firmly on the ground as the girl on his back stepped off. Pyrrha didn't seem like the type of girl who would back-stab another prospective student at the first chance she got. Most likely, she was trying to shield the boy from the fall, though Julian wasn't exactly sure how the spear was supposed to do that. On the other hand, the weapon seemed to be curving in its trajectory as it soared through the air, though Julian's low ground perspective may have altered his view. _I better go on ahead just to make sure. Even if that thing somehow stopped his fall, Jaune's still in a vulnerable position._

Then again, there was still the matter of his new partner. After dusting off his pants, Julian turned around to face the girl behind him. He held out his hand, trying to ignore the surging pain. _Hard to believe that I'll have to work with this person for the rest of my time here._ "Julian. Julian Mintz. Agh!"

Though reluctant at first, the green-haired girl accepted the gesture. "Emerald Sustrai. Well, it looks like I'm stuck with you." Her dark complexion marked her as a Southerner, like his old squad-mate, Mashengo. _If only he was still here._

"Alright, we've got no time to lose! This way!"

"Wait, hold on!" shouted Emerald. Julian hobbled through the forest, passing by numerous Grimm minding their own business. _No screaming yet. Let's hope he's still safe when we get there._

The former Knight of the Rose unstrapped the tomahawk from his back and brought it out in front. It was probably his best weapon against the black fiends. His pistol could bring down some of the Beowolves, but they could easily jump out of the way whenever Julian pulled the trigger.

 **-POW! POW! POW! SHING! SHING!-**

Julian couldn't quite see what was going on behind him, but his new partner seemed to be doing a good job of keeping the packs of Grimm away from him. He would have liked to help, but now was not the time. Plus, he hadn't fought any of the beasts before, so he wasn't sure how effective his ax would be against them. He could have used his semblance to cleave through the fiends with an arc of pressurized air, but that had its own problems. It was an inefficient use of his powers, and it was easy to dodge. In Julian's current state, he probably couldn't afford to use it anyway.

"You!"

Somewhere far up ahead, Julian could hear the scream of a certain Schnee heiress. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Julian stopped in place, trying to figure out what could have caused the girl to scream like that. But, soon enough, the answer came to him.

 _Poor Ruby._

Remembering his task, Julian continued running through the forest with Emerald trailing close behind him. For some reason, she looked a bit older than the rest of the girls, but he couldn't quite explain why that was. It was nothing to worry about anyway. And besides, he had more important matters to worry about. _Just where did he land?_

Only seconds later, Julian found the boy hanging from a tree. Pyrrha's spear had gone through his hood, pinning him to the trunk. Surprisingly, the spear hadn't ripped through the fabric during Jaune's descent. _Well, that's a relief. Still, Professor Ozpin might be disappointed._

Yang's ward quickly found Pyrrha standing a few feet to his left. As soon as she spotted him, she waved with her free hand. "A pleasure seeing you again, Julian."

"Same here."

Emerald stepped forward, both hands on her hips. "So, is this your girlfriend or something?"

Julian raised his eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"We do not have romantic feelings for each other, if that is what you are implying," said the champion of Mistral.

"Sure, sure. The name's Emerald, by the way." She held her hand out.

The red-headed girl went forth to receive the greeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss…"

"Sustrai."

"Yes, Miss Emerald Sustrai."

"Introductions are fine and all, but could one of you please get me down from here?" shouted Jaune.

"Sorry, Jaune!" Pyrrha ran up to the tree and then began to climb it. As she was removing the spear, Julian saw Weiss come out from behind a series of bushes on the other side of the small clearing. She briefly looked at both Julian and Emerald before turning her attention to the Mistralian.

"So," the heiress began, "are you still up on that offer?" Julian vaguely remembered Weiss pestering Pyrrha about the prospect teaming up, shortly after last night's dinner. And before everyone left for sleep. And when everyone was getting ready in the locker room. If there was anything that Julian had learned about the heiress, it was the girl's persistence. Weiss had practically chased the scythe-user all over campus before everyone went to bed. Julian didn't know what Ruby had said to the young heiress to incur her wrath, but it couldn't have been that bad.

"What's that, snow angel?" said Jaune as he landed on the ground. It was obvious that the Arc lad had a thing for the young heiress, though it was also clear that he had absolutely no idea what he was getting himself into.

"Not you, you dolt! Ahem! So, what will it be, Pyrrha?" On the other hand, the white-haired girl's haggling was a bit pointless, to say the least. Ozpin did mention that everyone had to partner up with the first person he or she made eye contact with.

"I don't think…"

Pyrrha interrupted before Julian could complete his thought. "Sorry, but I'm partnered up with Jaune. Maybe you'll find someone else." _I don't think that's going to go over well._ Seeing as the heiress was now seething with rage, Julian's assessment had been fairly accurate.

Weiss twitched her head in Julian's direction. "I take it you two dolts aren't available?"

Julian remained silent. Now would be a really, really, really bad time to speak. Julian had faced other soldiers many times in combat before, but hunters and huntresses were on a completely different level. While he had fought them before, he usually had the protection and firepower of a hummingbird anti-personnel unit to give him a fighting chance. Plus, he had already seen what kind of destruction Weiss was capable of. He would rather not be encapsulated in a tomb of ice if he could help it. _Just stay still and be calm. There's no need to get into unnecessary conflict._

Emerald stepped up and answered for him, "Of course we are! Isn't that right, Julian?" The green-haired girl turned and winked at him. _What in the world have I gotten myself into?_ In all his years of fighting in the war, Julian had never been more terrified than he was now. He could take on enemy regiments, with his fellow Knights of the Rose to back him up and give him courage, but here he no longer had that luxury.

 _This is really, really bad._

A few seconds later, the boy saw Ruby's silver eyes peering out from the bushes where Weiss had come from, her gun-scythe barely sticking out. As she tried moving some of the branches, she tripped and fell over, prompting Weiss to turn in her direction. The heiress threw her arms up in the air and then let out a great groan as she approached her partner.

As Yang's cousin stood back up, her eyes turned to the former soldier. "Julian!" Ruby quickly dashed over to him before the Schnee girl could intercept her. Julian half-expected the scythe-wielder to embrace him in a hug, but instead she stopped a few feet in front of him. It was a good thing she didn't, because otherwise his back would break.

Julian's hand rose up to his head, but then he remembered he wasn't wearing a cap. "Ruby. It looks you made it through alright." He let out a gentle smile, trying to ignore the blue eyes glaring at him.

"Yeah," replied the weapons enthusiast. She leaned in close and whispered into Julian's ear. "Um, do we really have to follow the whole eye-contact thing? I think Weiss is going to kill me!" _I'm afraid it's the same for both of us. But still, the rules are the rules._

"Just what exactly are you two dumbnuts talking about?" said Weiss as she intruded into their conversation. "Seeing as we're now partners, you really shouldn't be trying to keep secrets from me. Well?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" said Ruby as she leapt off to the side. Julian backed away as the heiress marched forward onto his ground. Even though she was a few inches shorter than the boy, the former soldier still found her presence frightening. Out of the corner of his eye, Julian could see his partner with her arms crossed, watching the situation with some sort of sick amusement. Even Jaune and Pyrrha turned to watch as they went over the basics of auras and semblances.

Julian held his hands forward, trying to appease the heiress. "Look, it's not that big a deal. Ruby was just trying to tell me that she wasn't fond of the system either…."

"What?" exclaimed Weiss as she turned to Ruby. "How dare you! You ignoble, little, peasant girl! Do you have any idea who I am? I am a Schnee! Anyone else would be begging to be my partner! Don't think you can run away just because your brother is here to protect you!"

"Weren't you trying to get someone else to be your partner just a minute ago?" said Emerald.

"Can it, you dolt!"

"Whoa! Whoa!" said Jaune. "Let's just calm down for a second. Okay, let's just take a deep breath in. And a deep breath out." The boy performed the actions as he said them. Weiss did not seem amused in the slightest.

Still, the girl complied with Jaune's request. "Fine. Shouldn't we be making our way to the temple or whatever the headmaster called it?"

"Jaune, look out!" shouted Ruby as she launched herself over everyone. A pack of Beowolves and Ursai leaped out from behind a group of bushes to the right of the tree behind Jaune.

As everyone else moved into battle positions, Julian swung his weapon out and charged at the enemy.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure I killed more Grimm than you," said Emerald, her arms crossed.

"Nuh-uh! I had way more kills than you!" Ruby shouted back.

"Oh, so how many did you have?" _Why are you two doing this?_

"Nine!"

"Well, I'll admit, that's pretty impressive, for a fifteen year old!"

"That's more than you!"

"Oh, well I counted eleven!" Emerald stuck her tongue out at Ruby. Julian wasn't paying that much attention to the fight, but he was pretty sure his partner didn't get that many kills. She might have been counting some of the ones from before.

"I would've gotten more if you didn't steal all of them!"

"Ugh! Will the two of you just shut up!" said Weiss.

"At least I didn't set the whole dusting forest on fire! Were you even trying to help?" rebuked Emerald. As pointless as the whole situation was, Julian's partner had a point. The heiress hadn't done much except create a situational hazard. Furthermore, the girl was far too reliant on dust for her abilities; Julian knew that it was best to conserve whatever resources he had available.

"That wouldn't have happened if you two dolts knew how to coordinate your attacks!" On the other hand, their teamwork could have used some work. Almost everyone was too focused on getting kills for themselves to cooperate with each other effectively. Especially Emerald and Ruby, as much as Julian hated to admit it.

"I didn't even get one," Jaune said to himself.

 _But he did draw some of the Grimm away before they could catch the others unaware. Not that they really needed his help._ Pyrrha walked alongside to console the boy. Julian would have liked to do so as well, but he was still trying to reflect upon the events of the battle.

 _Just how did I manage to do that?_ Right in the heat of battle, some sort of primal instinct took over. It wasn't anger per say, but it was more like a heightened awareness.

 _I killed three of them._ Just as part of the pack had charged towards Jaune, Julian had rushed in, cleaving two heads off. When the last one had turned, Julian had split it in half when it tried to tear at his throat.

 _Grimm do not bleed._ So many times had his weapon cleaved through the bones of other men that the sight of blood and entrails became natural to him. _How many men did I slay with these two hands?_

"Julian, are you alright?" a voice called out to him. The boy rose up, and he looked around. It was Ruby.

"Oh, it's nothing," the boy said. Jaune and Pyrrha seemed to be looking over at him as well.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Julian turned his eyes up toward the sky. Somewhere far off to the northwest, another group of students was trying to fend off a Nevermore with machine guns and grenade launchers. The sounds of gunfire and explosions seemed almost natural to him. _Maybe we should help them out._

"Hey look everyone! We're here!" shouted Ruby as she pointed straight up ahead.

"Thank Dust!" remarked the heiress.

"I couldn't agree more," said Emerald, her arms still crossed.

Far up ahead, Julian saw a round, stone-brick rotunda. A crumbling stone wall hugged around the left side, and just inward of this stood a raised ring held up by four simple columns. Around the centerpiece's floral design stood twenty small pillars holding up what appeared to be chess pieces.

 _Relics._ Upon a brief examination, there seemed to be four of every piece, two in black and two in gold.

Every piece, except for pawns. _Yet pawns decide what shape the battle must take. When those in power neglect the influence that even ordinary people can wield, it is their greatest mistake. Even pawns can challenge the might of legends and strive to become better themselves._

 _Though, maybe I'm just over thinking this. The headmaster should try to make his students feel important, after all._

Both of the black bishops were missing, along with one of the golden rook pieces. While the boy couldn't say for sure, it was fairly obvious that the teams were supposed to be sorted based on what pieces were picked. Everyone else walked into the circle and examined the pieces in front of them. It was said that these grounds were used to commemorate some ancient god or goddess, back from before the days of the first kingdoms.

"Horsie!" shouted Ruby as she picked up a golden knight.

"You just _had_ to pick one of the weakest pieces, didn't you?" said Weiss, her fists planted on her hips.

"But it's a horsie! And it's so cute!" said Ruby as she hugged the piece close in to her body.

"Hmph!" The heiress turned around and crossed her arms. A bishop would seem more to her liking: a piece with great range and power, but one that easily could be boxed in by members of its own team.

"I don't really know all that much about chess," said Jaune. "Julian, which of these pieces do you think I should pick?" Pyrrha seemed to be trailing along behind him, but she frowned a little when Jaune said this.

"You can pick whatever piece you'd like, Jaune," said the champion of Mistral, a hint of sadness in her voice. Jaune briefly turned around to face his partner, but then stepped back a bit so that both Pyrrha and Julian were in his sights.

"Well, I think the castle looks kinda cool, but I'm thinking we should get something that represents us as a team, you know?"

"Whatever," said Emerald from behind the group. "Just make it quick, okay?" The green-haired girl was leaning over by the pillar with one of the gold queens on it. She could have easily taken the piece for herself, forcing Julian to accept her decision, yet she didn't seem interested in pressing the issue.

"So," said Jaune, "do either of you two have any ideas?"

"I shall be content with whatever choice you pick," said Pyrrha. Despite her fame, the girl was surprisingly unassertive in her desires. Seeing as she was always looking at the boy every few seconds, she seemed to have a strange fondness for him. _Looks like I'm going to have to decide for them. This must be how General Yang feels all the time._

Julian walked over to one of the pedestals with a golden king on it, and then gestured his hand towards it. Though it wasn't nearly as strong as some of the other pieces, the king was vital to winning battles late in the game, when most of the other pieces had fallen. It was a piece whose protection was always of vital importance, whose presence the others could not do without. _Like Jaune, in a way._

Jaune stepped up to the ornate pillar, picked up the relic, and examined it. "Well, it does look pretty cool. You seem to know more about this stuff than I do, so I think I'll trust your decision."

Pyrrha looked over at Julian. "I think it's a fine choice. Thank you, Julian." The boy saluted out of instinct. He then started walking to retrieve the other king. Out of the corner of his vision, Emerald gave him a disapproving scowl.

Over on the other side of the circle, Weiss was busy chasing Ruby, trying to wrest the knight from her grasp. "You come back here!" shouted the heiress. In the process, they seemed to have knocked down several of the black pieces from their posts.

"Should we help them?" said Jaune.

Julian rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't worry, I'll fix this." Though he didn't want to stand in the way of the Schnee girl's fiery wrath, he did run around the edge of the temple to put the pieces back into place.

Emerald let out a groan. "You people are such…"

Just then, the Nevermore from before swooped down into the clearing nearby, followed by a pair of students. One of them, wielding a heavy grenade launcher, had short, reddish-orange hair marking her of Jotunheim descent. She was probably one of the ones who moved out prior to the rebellion. The other one, wearing a traditional green and black tailcoat, seemed to be of Midwestern descent, like much of Yang and Ruby's family.

Luckily, the big black bird didn't seem to notice the large group standing in the open temple. Weiss and Ruby stopped in place, and everyone else readied their weapons.

"Lets help them out. Just try to stay away from that fog up ahead." said Julian.

"Wait!" shouted Weiss. "We are _not_ going in without a plan this time! Since I'm the smartest one here, aside from Pyrrha of course, you all better listen to what I have to say!"

"Looks like someone needs to take a chill pill," said Emerald. Out of almost everyone's sight, Jaune meekly raised his hand. _This is going nowhere._

"Shut up! Look…"

"BANZAI!" Ruby swung her massive scythe into the ground, and then blasted herself off into the trajectory of the Nevermore. Everyone seemed to watch in silence.

Pyrrha started to speak. "Do you think we should…" As the battle raged on nearby, everyone shook their heads in confirmation.

"Well," said Emerald, "looks like our fun isn't over just yet."

* * *

Headmaster Ozpin announced the next set of students. "Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team CRDL, led by Cardin Winchester."

The four students walked onto the stage of the auditorium. While most of them wore heavy armor, the one named Russel was dressed only in a vest and sweatpants. He also had a messy green mohawk on his head. Most likely, the kid had been a native of Vacuo in his early life, or so Julian reasoned. The one named Cardin, towering above the other three, had a large, golden eagle on his breastplate, though it could have been a Nevermore as well. Something about the boy's eyes betrayed a certain coldness, though Julian couldn't say what it was.

Professor Ozpin cleared his throat and then continued. "Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team SLVR, led by Ruby Rose."

Yang's cousin simply stood where she was, her mouth wide open in shock. Weiss growled before marching toward the stage, and the boy named Ren simply smiled in approval.

Nora hugged her arms around Ruby's stomach and lifted her up into the air. "I'm so proud of you, person I just met this morning! Hooray for Ruby!" The girl was surprisingly strong, seeing as she was able to lift both Ruby and her unwieldy gun-scythe with ease.

Ruby's arms and legs flailed about as Nora lifted her up and down again and again. "Help… Please… Can't… Breathe…"

Nora set her down for a second. "Okay, new leader!" She leaned in close, cupping her hand over Ruby's ear. "But just remember this, I'm the real mastermind behind this operation. Without me, you would be nothing! Got it?"

"Okay," Ruby said as her teammate lifted her up in her arms.

"Alright!" Nora began carrying the dark-haired girl over to Professor Ozpin.

Ren let out a sigh and started making his way toward the stage. Sometime after everyone had taken down the Nevermore, Julian's group had learned that Ren and Nora had taken the golden rook. Seeing how well everyone worked together, Ruby decided to swap her knight piece for the rook so they all could be on the same two teams, especially after seeing what a fun person Nora was.

Once everyone was gathered, Nora set Ruby down as everyone applauded. Though it was unlikely that Yang's cousin would see him, Julian gave her his salute. The young girl looked around at the audience, still semi-unconscious from Nora's abuse. Although she seemed an unlikely candidate because of her age and inexperience, Julian knew she would make a fine leader. While she had a tendency to charge headlong into situations, she had a surprisingly sharp intuition for battle, given how she managed to coordinate everyone during the fight against the Nevermore. Even the great Yang Wenli would be jealous of her tactical acumen, though most likely he would just laugh it off. But given the way she composed herself on stage, it could be difficult to discern this quality without having seen it first-hand.

As team SLVR began to walk off the stage, Ozpin continued on with the ceremony. "Emerald Sustrai. Jaune Arc. Julian Mintz. Pyrrha Nikos. The four of you retrieved the white king pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team JSMN, led by Jaune Arc."

"Wait, what? Led by… me?" Jaune's head turned back and forth between Pyrrha and Julian. The former soldier smiled at the boy, and Pyrrha did the same. While Julian had more experience leading soldiers on the battlefield, he could understand why the headmaster had chosen Jaune as their leader, as he too could see the boy's potential.

The three of them started walking toward the stage. Soon after, Emerald got up from her place along the left wall and followed after them. From what Julian had heard, students usually ascended to the stage as soon as their names were called, but students this semester had been reluctant to do so for some reason. At the same time, Ozpin made no effort to enforce this years old tradition, especially since he went through every team before its members could get into position. _Maybe he's taken the general's habit of pouring wine into his coffee._

As the four of them lined up on stage, the audience applauded, just like for everyone else. Julian held his arms to his side, standing straight like a rod. He would have given his salute, but abstained from doing so, knowing his teammates would not follow. As the boy looked around the room, he saw Ozpin turn to face him, a look of indifference on his face. Although the eyes behind those glasses betrayed no emotion, the former soldier knew that the headmaster had already made up his mind. Though Julian had tried to accomplish his mission, in the end, he was not the one who had protected Jaune.

 _Just how am I going to explain myself to him?_

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so that's the end of that arc. The main story will kick off soon. As always, be sure to leave some feedback. I don't really know what people think about this story so far, or if I'm doing anything wrong, so any comments or criticism would be appreciated. Things are a bit slow at the moment, but stuff will build up eventually.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 _Those dusting idiots!_

Weiss stomped through the open-court mall, searching for team JSMN. Unlike _her_ team, they weren't goofing off in the stupid pet shop. Ruby, Ren, and Nora were still looking at a bunch of dumb sloths for crying out loud! Weiss had only taken a minute to look at the mini-sharks in the shark tank. She didn't find them cute or anything like that, but they would make useful pets. As soon as the heiress got her own mansion, she would install a shark tank, for whenever she needed to get rid of any _inconveniences_.

 _Oh, I just can't wait for the day when I can finally execute that fool! Yes… Nothing can stop the smartest girl in all of Vale!_

Even though the leader of team SLVR was supposed to be Ruby, who was nothing but an insufferable duncehead and who was definitely _not_ cute, that traitor Nora had the audacity to think herself as the mastermind of the whole group! Weiss had worked so hard to get where she was today, especially since she had to keep transferring to different schools over and over and over again. She was much better than her loser parents, especially that stupid father of hers, Siegfried Schnee. She would never lose to some pancake-and-sloth-obsessed dolt! There was no way that the smartest girl in school could be shown up by the likes of her! _There can be only one queen of this castle. Yes, you'll see that one day._

Weiss continued her march, peering through the windows to see if she could find her companion team. Even though Professor Ozpin had confirmed their teams for the next four years, there was nothing that said Weiss couldn't co-mingle with the others. It would help them prepare for their future line of work as servants.

Pyrrha would make a worthy bodyguard for a true genius such as herself. And besides, who wasn't to say the girl didn't have _other_ talents?

 _This plan is perfect!_

"Hey, how's it going, Weiss?"

That voice didn't belong to anyone she recognized. When the heiress turned to face her adversary, all she found was a blonde-haired girl wearing a rather risque outfit. Judging by the golden gauntlets, the girl was probably one of the transfer students coming over to Beacon for the Vytal Festival. Most likely she was from Vacuo.

"What? Who are you? How do you know my name?" said the heiress, drawing out Myrtenaster.

The girl backed up toward the wall, "Whoa, easy there, ice princess! That's no…"

"Don't you dare call me princess!" She was going to be queen, after all. _I am the queen of the castle!_ _A peasant girl like you should treat your superiors with respect!_

"Hey! You get that near my hair, and I will end you!" The heiress could see a glint of red shine in the strange girl's eyes, telling her to back off. Considering she didn't know how the girl's weapons or semblance functioned, Weiss reasoned that provoking the girl would probably be more trouble than it was worth. Weiss withdrew her blade. Still, she watched the blonde girl with caution.

"You still haven't answered my question," Weiss said.

"Oh, right, call me _Yang._ "

" _Yang?_ " The name surprised her, to say the least.

There was no way she was trusting this girl. Even now, she was probably lying to her face, just like the rest of those Faunus-loving scum from Vacuo. _Typical._

The heiress took a moment to clear her throat, and then crossed her arms. "That wasn't what I meant. How do you know who I am?"

"Why, everyone knows who you are! After all, you are the heiress to the world famous Schnee Dust Company!" That much was true, but everyone was buying Rubinsky these days. Even that stupid dunce Ruby still bought her goods from that bald buffoon's stupid over-sized crates.

"So, where are you from?"

 _Yang_ flipped her arms up in the air. "Nowhere in particular." _Insolent piece of trash!_ "Why do you ask?"

"I'm done with this. Buzz off!" After that, Weiss started marching away.

"Sure thing, princess! Oh, and tell my little sis I said hi, okay?"

 _How in Dust would I know who that is?_ Weiss continued wandering through the mall, trying to forget her encounter with that uncouth peasant girl. There seemed to be a strange familiarity about her, but the heiress couldn't see why that was.

Moments later, Weiss spotted the rest of her team sitting on the edge of one of the mall's many fountains.

Ruby stood up from where she was and waved. "Hey, Weiss!"

The heiress growled and then walked back to the rest of her group. There was no use in resisting. After being lectured by Professor Port, she figured she would start being nicer to the girl. She was Yang Wenli's cousin after all. Even with her innate intellectual prowess, Weiss could afford to learn a few things or two from the great general. Even a dunce like Ruby had inherited some of the man's talent. _Stupid Ruby. How does she get to be related to someone famous?_

The heiress sighed, "So, how was your trip to the pet shop?"

"We got kicked out. Nora tried to free all the sloths from their cages, but then the manager got really mad and…"

"And then," said Nora, jumping in front of Ruby, "he reached under his desk and pulled out his shotgun. But I, Nora, was far too quick for him. Before he knew what was coming, I had BOOPED that old man in the head with my almighty Magnhild! Even when he was down for the count, I had to save my sloth brethren from the clutches of their captivity. So I started freeing all the other animals, but then the animals started making a mess of things so I had to try and put them all back, but then they were running all over the place and so I couldn't do it. Seeing as the manager was starting to wake up with all the commotion going around, I, Nora, SMASHED the security camera before making my grand escape. It was the PERFECT CRIME!"

"I had nothing to do with this," said Ren, enunciating every word.

"Yup, it was all me, Nora!" She smiled, her eyes closed.

"Yeah, anyway, we might want to leave soon or else we're going to start seeing some trouble, okay?" said Ruby as she looked around the mall.

"Ugh," muttered Weiss, "I should have never left you three alone by yourselves. And you!" She turned and pointed her finger at Ren. "You should have taken more care in keeping that girlfriend of yours from doing… whatever _that_ was!"

"Believe me, that is a lot easier said than done," the boy remarked.

"My cause was righteous! My sloth brethren were in danger!" said Nora.

"Exactly."

Weiss growled. "Well, what about you, Ruby? Why didn't you do anything?"

"I-I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. Just, the whole thing got out of control. I mean, I tried to make her stop, but I didn't want to hurt my teammate cause she isn't a bad person or anything, and I'd hurt all the cute little animals if I interfered. I-I'm sorry Weiss. I didn't know what to do."

"Ugh, forget it. We'll try explaining this to Professor Ozpin once we get back."

"Guys! HEEELP!" Jaune and the rest of team JSMN were running past the group with a small squad of animals chasing after them. An aggressive chimpanzee had clung onto Jaune's shield, and he was desperately trying to shake it off.

"This place is a goddamn zoo!" said Emerald as she fired away with her twin saber-pistols.

"This way!" commanded Pyrrha as she pointed her spear forward.

"Let's go!" shouted Ruby. The rest of team SLVR followed along, trying to get to the nearest bus stop before the animals could catch up to them.

 _Ugh, this day is just one disaster after another!_

* * *

"I still can't believe we missed the parade!" Ruby complained. "I wanted to see the cute Faunus people!"

"Well, maybe if one of us didn't go crazy, we would have been back by now!" said Emerald. Weiss couldn't help but agree with the Southerner.

"Dusting police," Ruby murmured to herself. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Who knows? I didn't even get enough time to visit the game shop."

It had been around five when they had returned to the cliffs of Beacon. Teams SLVR and JSMN had been stuck in the Vale police station for at least an hour or so, not counting the time it took to get back to Beacon. By the time they had gotten out, Weiss's head was numb beyond belief after having waited for so long.

The police had taken Nora into custody, and had questioned everyone else on the events that had unfolded at the pet shop. Weiss's investigation was relatively brief, considering she wasn't present at the time of the crime. They had video evidence for it too. Julian, Pyrrha, and Jaune had gotten out relatively quickly as well. On the other hand, Emerald, Ruby, and Ren had taken a bit longer. The heiress could understand why they had kept Ren and Ruby, but keeping Emerald for the same amount of time seemed a bit strange, considering she didn't have anything to do with the incident.

At the same time, the police had also taken the shop owner into custody. Weiss had overheard some of the cops mention that the man had been capturing and shipping exotic animals from the Southern regions of the continent, many of which were illegal for distribution without a special license. Furthermore, they were illegal for sale as pets due to how dangerous they were to humans and Faunus alike.

It was strange that the police hadn't found about this earlier, but it was possible they had been occupied with other matters, such as dust robberies. Apparently, some wealthy proprietor had been paying the man to acquire these exotic animals, someone by the name of Sir Archibald Bigley. Weiss didn't recognize the name, even though her parents had brought her to a number of big social gatherings when she was still a child. It was likely a pseudonym of some sort, considering how unorthodox it sounded.

Weiss did have a few ideas about who would go to such lengths to enact such a scheme, but she felt way too exhausted mentally to concern herself with such matters. All she wanted to do was go back to the dorm, and maybe get something to eat.

The seven of them walked along a sidewalk bordering the main river, with their shadows stretching far ahead. A dull, gray mesh fence ran alongside them, keeping them from accidentally falling into the river. The main docking platform into the academy loomed up overhead, with a small harbor underneath. Compared to the main city, the traffic here was much lighter, aside from the occasional student walking over to one of the nearby shops.

The great walls, separating the city from the forests beyond, stood within plain sight, with heavy gun platforms and drone hangars stationed every half a mile or so. While most military personnel couldn't go head to head with the stronger varieties of Grimm, shelling them with heavy ordinance usually helped to mitigate that initial disadvantage. It was said that these things could even take down a mature Goliath with one shot, though Weiss didn't know whether or not that was true. Even so, such weaponry had not been enough to fully protect Vale during the siege, as evidenced by the scorch marks and scaffolding underneath.

Once the seven of them had reached the end of the path, Julian stepped on ahead to press a button embedded onto the side of the cliff. A cable-suspended, glass elevator slid down to their level, riding alongside a rail inclined on the rock face. Once the elevator had cushioned itself onto a team of rusted springs, the doors opened, and the seven of them stepped on in. The floor itself was an unadorned, plaster-colored tile, though the back end of the elevator was inclined to run parallel to the rail below.

Soon after the doors had shut, the small chamber began rising up, bringing the rest of Vale into view. Even from here, the heiress could see the island of Patch as it rested in the distant horizon. Even though most of the others were usually quite talkative, a strange silence hung over the room. Weiss's eyes couldn't help but be drawn toward the sun. In the back of her mind, she knew that looking at it for too long could've had some damaging effect on her eyesight, but it had an almost hypnotic effect on her. _Let all your problems wash away._

Julian's voice cut into the silence, "Say, why don't we all go check out the transfer student dorms?"

"That sounds like a great idea! Some of my old classmates might be there," said Pyrrha.

"I'm up for it," said Jaune, his eyes half-asleep.

"Eh, it's better than nothing," Emerald unfolded her arms from their crossed position.

"Oh, duh!" Ruby exclaimed as she pounded her fist into her left hand. "Why didn't I think of that? Now we'll get to see the Faunus folk! Oh, I can't wait to meet them!"

 _Dusting hell._ The last thing the Schnee heiress wanted to do was go anywhere near one of those Faunus lowlifes. They were nothing but a bunch of scummy, thieving, gang-banging, criminal scum! Weiss couldn't care less about whatever supposed injustices they faced; they didn't matter. _To think they could rule a whole kingdom without it falling apart._ _Those fools were better off when they were servants anyway._

Everyone else seemed to turn to her. _What's their problem?_ "What?"

"Everything alright, Weiss?" Ruby asked.

Air hissed through the heiress's teeth. "Yeah."

 _Stupid Ruby with her soft face and her cute stomach and her sexy legs and her big chest and her cute silver eyes. Why do I have to be attracted to stupid dunces like her? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_

The heiress tried to distract herself by turning her attention to Pyrrha. At least it was okay to be attracted to girls like her. The girl was smart, not as smart as herself of course, and she was the champion of Mistral. _Think nice thoughts, Weiss. One day, you're going to rule the world and everything will be all better. All it's going to take is a little bit of hard work and determination._

Weiss turned to face Ren, who was leaning on a silver rail to the side. Although he had never said a word, it was clear that he was struggling to cope with his girlfriend's arrest. He never seemed to express his emotions very often, even in times like this. Weiss couldn't help but envy that quality, since she knew all too well how destructive her own outbursts could be.

 _Nora didn't deserve any of this._ Nora was her rival, that was true, but Weiss couldn't help but think that this was all wrong. She hated how the orange-haired girl always said she was better than her, but right now that didn't seem to matter. _It was… fun to have her around._ But now, she was no longer with them.

Right at that moment, the elevator had reached the top of the cliff, and everyone began to step onto the steel platform outside.

Once out, Ruby turned to face the heiress. "Weiss, aren't you going to come out?"

"Yeah, coming." Weiss stepped out, looking over the guard rail ahead. _I guess this won't be too bad. I suppose I can wait a little longer._

* * *

The seven of them were now on the third floor of the transfer student building. They had already met some of the teams from Mistral, Vacuo, and Menagerie. For some reason, that _Yang_ girl wasn't with them. Now they were walking over to the end of the hall, where a few empty boxes had been stacked outside. The lights hanging above gave the walls a mild yellow hue.

A black-haired cat-girl wearing long black boots stepped out of the room to the left, and turned to face the group. A black sword-based weapon was strapped onto her back. Although she looked around the same age as Weiss, her hands were dry and peeling, and her eyes were bagging from lack of sleep. Though she tried to conceal it, the heiress could feel herself twitching, much like how a dog growls when faced with an unfriendly presence.

The cat Faunus did not seem to notice this, and she instead turned to the boy who had served under Yang. "You're Julian Mintz."

"How did…"

"Your guardian is practically a celebrity. I just did a little bit of research before coming here. I'm Blake Belladonna, by the way. So, who might the rest of you be?" The girl's eyes drifted to the heiress, giving her a suspicious look.

"You may call me Pyrrha."

"Jaune Arc, my lady." The dunce bowed before the cat Faunus.

"Ren."

"Emerald Sustrai."

Weiss didn't feel like being shown up by these fools. Before Ruby could introduce herself, the heiress hissed out and made her move. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

The cat Faunus made a brief scowl before turning away from the heiress. "And you?"

The stupid dark-haired duncehead rushed up to meet her. "I'm Ruby Rose! I can't believe I'm meeting a Faunus in real life, even though I just met one a few minutes ago! Can I pet your ears?"

After about half a minute, Blake jumped back and said, "Wait, did you just say your name was Ruby?"

"Yup, can I…"

"That is… freaky."

"Why is that freaky?" interrupted Jaune.

"Because that's the same name as our team, RWBY."

"Hey," complained Ruby, "how did you get to be team RWBY? That's my name!"

"Don't ask me, I did not come up with it."

Julian stepped up and asked, "So, where's the rest of your team?"

"In there." Blake gestured to the room with her thumb. Ruby's head shifted over the cat-girl's shoulder.

"Aw yeah baby, that's what ya get for messin' with the champ!" The voice came from inside the room.

"You… might not want to disturb them right now."

The heiress stepped past Blake to get a better look. "What in the name of Dust is going on in there?"

Inside, she saw three boys huddled around a fat Faunus with donkey ears doing something on his laptop. _He's wearing… sunglasses? Even though he's indoors?_

"The enemy inhibitor has been destroyed!" The voice came from the fat Faunus's computer, accompanied by a low rumbling sound.

As she held onto the door frame, Weiss couldn't help but growl at just how idiotic the boys were. _Stupid boys with their stupid video games._

The only boy who wasn't a dusting Faunus had light blue hair that was shaped forward. He was probably the boy that was missing from one of Haven's transfer student teams, Neptune. His jacket was a dark red and his collar was turned upright. He had a terrible sense of fashion. _Who wears goggles in that shade of orange?_ He was definitely not attractive. At all.

The other two were a monkey Faunus, and some sort of weird hedgehog Faunus, except the spikes on his head were a dark shade of blue. The monkey had been munching on an apple. The hedgehog Faunus had a white T-shirt tucked into a pair of faded jeans, which reached over his shoe-less feet. Said boy also was wearing a long black lanyard with his scroll attached on the end. A goatee had formed on the end of his chin.

"Sun," the heiress heard Blake say from behind her, "where did you get that apple?"

"Just took it from the market," said the monkey Faunus.

"You what?"

"Hey, no reason to make a fuss out of it!"

The hedgehog turned to face his companion. "You're a thieving little bastard, aren't you?"

"Aw, no need to say it like that, my boy."

"Yeti?" called Pyrrha from behind the heiress.

The hedgehog turned around to face the champion. "Oh god, it's you!" He jumped back, almost hitting Neptune.

"I didn't think I would see you here."

"Me neither."

"Will ya two quiet down and have your happy reunion later?" said the fat kid. "I've almost got this game in the bag!"

Ren and Emerald stepped into the room, with Ruby, Pyrrha, and Julian following after them.

Just as Jaune stepped into the door frame, he pointed to Sun and screamed, "M-M-M-Monkey!"

Sun tried pushing his way through the growing crowd, "You got a problem with me, boy? Why don't you say it to my face?" Pyrrha wrapped her arm around the monkey-boy. "Whoa, hands off girl!"

The warrior held her position. "Don't mind him. He's had some… rather unpleasant experiences today."

"Like what?"

Emerald turned, with her right hand on her hip. "He got attacked by a wild chimpanzee."

"What?" said Blake.

"You don't want to know," said Ren. He turned back to the game. "That's Storm Heroes, right?"

"Sure is," said Neptune.

"Nah," said the currently unnamed donkey Faunus. "This is actually the new edition of Killer Doom Butts 64." Neptune just stared at the boy with a look of confusion on his face. "See, in this game you gotta play as a child soldier where you've gotta collect all the candy canes and… Hey, where do ya think you're going? Get back here…" Blake cringed as the boy finished his sentence. Her arms shook as she barely held in her anger.

The cat Faunus stepped in the room, and gestured to the boy, "Don't mind him, everyone. This here is Meatball Rice. Everyone, say hi to Meatball."

Nobody did.

Weiss circled around the door frame. The room was starting to get unusually packed. She couldn't even see Ruby or Julian from where she was. It was a good thing too.

Still, at the edge of the pack, Emerald had been watching the two of them with a smirk on her face. _Does she think this is funny? What kind of peasant dunce would find humor in any of this? Stupid green-haired, Southern duncehead! Idiots, all of them!_

The Southern girl's eyes turned back to the computer screen. "Hmm… I could get into something like this."

They all just stood there while they watched that stupid, fat Meatball finish his game. Occasionally, Jaune would peek in from outside, still struggling with his new fear of simians.

Only a minute later, everyone jumped back when Meatball leaped onto his seat.

"Whoo!" As he shouted, Meatball took off his shirt and started spinning it around in the air. Several people had ducked to avoid it slamming into them. "Yeah, who is the champ? That's right, me!"

"So," said Blake, "Do any of you want to get something to eat?"

Julian raised his hand from within the crowd, "Uh, that sounds like a good idea."

"Great, I'm starving," said Ruby.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Everyone turned to face Weiss. "What?"

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, anyone who's reading this! This was a more lighthearted chapter compared to some of the other stuff I've written for this story. This was originally supposed to be Chapter 6, but then I decided to gut the original Chapter 5, which was shown from Blake's POV. Basically, Blake discusses stuff with Reinhard von Lohengramm, which goes into a bit more detail on what's going on in Atlas. I mostly wrote it for worldbuilding purposes, as it shows things from Jotunheim's perspective and shows a bit of Blake's backstory in this AU. Ultimately, I didn't think I had portrayed Blake's personality accurately when I wrote it, and it doesn't do much to advance the plot of the story, so I chose not to publish it. I don't think you'll be missing too much due to the missing chapter, and I'll probably find a way to weave in the details later. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Professor Ozpin sat at his desk, thumbing through his scroll. With each flick, a new set of mission requests came up on the screen. Even though most of his first year students weren't ready for full-time missions, he still had to think ahead for when that day would come. He had before him a stack of copy paper for sorting through each of the missions, based on the perceived difficulty and the urgency of the request. He usually sent urgent matters to one of the upper-division teams, such as that led by Miss Adel. Most missions, however, were either local chores or expeditionary adventures to clear out Grimm in a given area. He could collect all the data on one of his larger computers, but writing them down on scratch paper was sufficient for now. His scroll, while useful, was a bit unwieldy for this type of task.

Ozpin freed his right hand and took a last sip from his personal mug. He already had his fourth cup for the day; any more and he would be staying up until five in the morning. The coffee was a brand peculiar to the island of Tefnut, far south of Vytal. Doctor Oobleck had introduced him to the blend, and now he couldn't get enough of it.

As he set the cup down, the headmaster took a brief glance at the silver picture frame behind it. In it, was a picture of Ozpin, Glynda Goodwitch, and James Ironwood back from when they were younger. The right side of the photo had been torn off about a quarter of the way in. There was no use looking at it now; it would only be a distraction.

A ding came from the right elevator, and Ozpin looked up as a mustachioed man stepped into the office. "Shouldn't you be teaching class right around now?"

"Perhaps, my good friend Professor Ozpin, but for now I have this period free for my own leisure." The portly man swung his fist across his broad chest, wearing that all too jovial look on his face. Professor Port certainly was an able hunter, and his knowledge of Grimm biology was unmatched, but he seemed to enjoy his job a bit too much. While there was nothing wrong with his enthusiasm, he could get carried away at times. The only reason Ozpin ever let the man become assistant director was that Dr. Oobleck was unwilling to accept the position himself. "Besides, the Defense Minister is here to see you."

 _Great. Just what I need, another vulture gunning after my job._ "Alright, send him up."

"As you wish, Headmaster." The assistant director stepped back into the elevator and then descended. It would be another minute or two before the elevator would return, considering how high up Ozpin's office was.

It was the middle elevator that came up instead. When the doors opened, a brown-haired man with two white streaks curving along the sides of his forehead stepped out, flanked by two guards in Atlasian-grade armor. Once he was out, Paul Oberstein held his right hand up, signaling his guards to return to the elevator. Like most government officials, the man simply wore a black suit, coupled with a dark red tie. Unlike the outlandish outfits most of Beacon's students commonly wore, the Defense Minister's outfit was simple and to the point.

Ozpin arched his fingers, remaining firmly in place, "Well, Defense Minster Oberstein, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

"Do you really think I would travel all the way here just to listen to your sarcasm? How trite." Once Oberstein stepped past the interior portico, he looked up past the ceiling, gazing at the massive gears hanging from above.

"So, what _did_ you come here for?" The Defense Minister would probably make up any sort of excuse for his visit here, if only to show his own superiority.

"Headmaster Ozpin, do you have somewhere… _private_ where we can talk?"

The professor raised his eyebrow at the question. "You're standing in my office, Minister Oberstein. What makes you think it could get more private than this?" That wasn't quite true. There was still _The Bunker_ , of course, but there was no way he was letting Defense Minister Oberstein set foot inside it.

"The glass windows and ceiling leave me with little confidence, professor. Tell me, what do you remember of the Invasion of Atlas three years ago?"

Ozpin tried remembering those events from three years ago. Most of what had happened had been obscured by media coverage, so many things were uncertain. But regardless of that, one thing was certain. Atlas's military hegemony had been toppled by a power that had come into existence only years before. In just those few weeks, the impossible had become reality.

First, Jotunheim's ships had taken Atlas's patrol fleets and shipyards by surprise, wiping out over half their whole armada. General Ironwood's forces had been ambushed while on a mission in Vacuo. The media says otherwise, but Ozpin didn't believe a word of what they said. Ironwood had fought hard just to link up with Vale's main army, but Vacuo harassed him at every turn. Shortly after, Jotunheim's forces steamrolled over what was left of Atlas's land forces and took over the capital.

"It's the cause of this whole mess, if that's what you're saying," remarked Ozpin.

"That wasn't quite what I was getting at. How do you think that someone such as King Reinhard had won against even Atlas's might?"

He honestly couldn't say. Not everyone had all the facts straight, so a full analysis of the war was next to impossible. But still, that wasn't to say he was completely in the dark about the whole situation. Ozpin was the headmaster of Beacon after all. "From what I've heard, there was a sudden disappearance of most of Atlas's high command just before Reinhard's surprise attack on the Atlasian fleets."

"Your memory serves you quite well. It is true that King Reinhard's military genius greatly contributed to his victory over Atlas in its prime, but his victory was not granted by the sole virtue of his shrewd intellect. The disappearance did play an important part in Reinhard's victory, but there was also the near simultaneous destruction of Atlas's power grid and the cross-continental transmission system at around the same time." This, he hadn't heard of before. It certainly explained why Atlas barely put up any resistance, even with its mechanized armies. "Even with King Reinhard's capabilities, I don't think he could have pulled off an operation of that scale."

But Ozpin knew of someone who could. _How_ she pulled it off was another matter entirely.

"I don't think you came here to lecture me on history. What exactly are you getting at?" The headmaster already had a rough idea of what the Defense Minister wanted, but Ozpin wanted to hear it out of his mouth first.

The Defense Minister did something… unexpected to say the least. He stepped in front of Ozpin's desk and then set his scroll on the table.

"I beg your pardon?" Was this supposed to be some calculated move designed to gain his trust? He wouldn't have any of it.

"I take it you have a secure place where you can store this?"

"A safe perhaps? Maybe, why do you ask?"

"It is a simple precaution and nothing more. I would suggest that you do the same for your device." _He's paranoid, that's certain._ Ozpin would see where this small talk would go.

Ozpin reached his fingers for a touchscreen embedded underneath the right arm of his chair, typing in some arcane code from muscle memory. A small drawer opened out from one of the flat columns embedded into the wall. There were a number of similar compartments scattered throughout the room, most of which were empty.

It wasn't one of the most advanced security systems - any fool who could find the seams could force it open with enough strength or the right equipment - but it would suffice for now. The only reason he installed the things was that having secret compartments open by his command looked kinda cool, like something out of a spy movie. If there was anything in which Professor Ozpin was unmatched, it was style. Everything, from his snazzy outfit to his sweet clockwork furniture, was designed with the greatest aesthetic quality in mind. Hell, it was part of the reason he made Ruby Rose the leader of team SLVR.

He hated to admit it, but his sense of style made him something of a badass. Not that he wasn't one already.

While Ozpin was absorbed in thought, he vaguely saw Oberstein's hand reach over the desk. "Your scroll." _No feeling behind those eyes._

The headmaster pushed himself off his chair and began walking toward the open compartment. Oberstein was only a few steps behind him. _He thinks we're being watched._ It was reasonable to assume that someone could have tapped into their scrolls, given how important the two men were to Vale's security. That was why Ozpin never left anything personal on it. Mission requests, of course, were public knowledge, if one knew how to look for them. Anything that required a bit more discretion or confidentiality was usually conveyed through other means. A man such as Oberstein would have likely understood this as well, which was why he was going through all this baggage.

As Ozpin stood by the open drawer, he let the Defense Minister place his scroll in first. _He doesn't mean to inspect mine first._ Once the Headmaster's deactivated scroll was in the compartment, he shoved it back into the jutting column. Micro-scale hologram projectors concealed the seams from the naked eye, though Ozpin had memorized the positions of all the compartments.

"Impressive," Oberstein commented with his characteristically dull tone. It was nothing all that impressive. The technology was widely used for designing the many transformable weapons Ozpin was used to seeing. It gave them an overall cleaner appearance, otherwise they would look like messes of gaps and lines wherever each individual component met, showing just how imperfect each weapon really was. Hell, the same sort of tech was used for their scrolls.

"So, why are you here?"

The Defense Minister strode around the room, scanning every square inch along the walls, floors and ceiling. Considering the artificial nature of his eyes, no detail would escape him outside of inattention and carelessness, two qualities which Oberstein lacked. "Three cameras. Professor Ozpin, which of your staff presides over this school's security?"

"A trusted friend of mine." Specifically, Ironwood and Ozpin's pet project, Penny. Though incomplete, Penny was their personal little secret, something he would never share with the likes of someone like Oberstein.

"How do you know we can trust this friend of yours?"

"I'd rather not go into details, but I assure you this person can be trusted."

"Headmaster Ozpin, as Vale's Defense Minister, it is within my interest to know everything and anything that pertains to our security as a state. Even though the hunting academies have traditionally acted independently, they are vital to our nation's security. As such, the supervision of this nation's hunting academies fall…"

"I have had enough of this."

Oberstein stood there for a moment, taken aback by the headmaster's sudden outburst. "What?"

Ozpin pointed back to the compartment. "Take your scroll and get out. I have been the headmaster of Beacon for over fifteen years. I do not care if your position as Vale's Defense Minister gives you the right or jurisdiction, you are not taking this school away from me!"

Oberstein's voice grew stern. "Headmaster Ozpin…"

"The other schools will back me up on this, and you'll have every hunter and huntress who has passed through these halls wanting you dead. This is a war you will not win, Oberstein." Even now, subduing the man would not be much of a problem. Although Ozpin didn't know the man's semblance, he knew Oberstein wasn't much of a fighter, though what would happen afterward was another story.

As the professor reached over his chair, the brown-haired man turned around, and held his arms behind his back. "Forgive me, Headmaster, I have… overstepped my boundaries." _He's… sorry?_ What Ozpin had said was tantamount to treason. Even Ironwood would have recognized it as such. Even though Oberstein was a cold and heartless man, he should have been outraged by the professor's remarks. Why was he apologizing now? "It is a shame that you would be willing to plunge this country once more into chaos for the sake of your own pride. Would you really wish for something like that?"

 _No. Nobody would wish for that, especially not after all those years of bloodshed._ "That was careless of me."

"Weak as I may be, I do not fear for my own life but for the fact it would bring about the disintegration of this land we hold dear. I apologize if I have not been forthright in my intentions. Ever since my youth, I have always been mistrustful of those whose power only derives from strength or bloodline." Oberstein had originally migrated from Mistral back from when the kingdom was still whole. He was most likely referring to High Lord Braunschweig, whose reign had produced many unpleasant rumors and tales. That the kingdom would undergo rebellion was a surprise to no one, though nobody could have predicted just how dramatic the consequences would be.

Oberstein continued, turning to the mechanism to the right of the room. "Although I may have harbored ambitions from time to time, I have always acted in the best interests of Vale. As someone who is tasked with defending the kingdoms from the Grimm, you must understand this." The Defense Minister turned around to face the headmaster. "That is why I believe a partnership would be in our best interests."

It was… unexpected to say the least. The man had not shown any inkling to work with Ozpin except as his civilian supervisor and state-designated supplier. Although he may have been trying to build up to this proposal through his discussion of Vale's situation, the Defense Minister was not known for working face-to-face with people.

Ozpin brought his hands over his desk and clasped them together. "Okay, I'm listening."

One of Oberstein's eyebrows raised up. "How… sudden."

"A man needs to be flexible in his options. So, what exactly do you have in mind?"

"Tell me, professor, why do you think I brought up the Invasion of Atlas?"

"Simple. You think that we're next in line for the gauntlet."

"Your skills at induction are most impressive. If we hope to prevent something like the slaughter of Atlas's high command, we must prepare ourselves for it. Even in our current situation, our grasp on the city is tenuous at best."

"I know what you mean," said Ozpin.

Specifically, Oberstein was referring to the rising Guilds that occupied the outer districts of Vale. After the forces of Jotunheim and Vacuo had occupied the main city, many of the districts had been placed under the control of the eponymous guilds, many of which were nothing more than glorified bands of thugs and organized crime syndicates.

Although Ozpin had not observed this personally, it was a widely known fact that many of the members of Vale's Police Department were corrupt, especially in districts that were controlled by the Guilds. Furthermore, even when sufficient proof was available, the Vale Police Department lacked the manpower to conduct a raid on any of the Guild buildings, many of which dealt in arms manufacturing. Plus, they weren't exactly known for their competence. It was a miracle that the police managed to nab even one of the ringleaders.

The Defense Minister cleared his throat, "I had known that much of the city had fallen under the rule of crime lords and corporatism, but until a few days ago, I had not known just how widespread the problem was. It was one of your students in particular who made me understand just how deep this city has fallen into anarchy." He was, of course, referring to the pet shop incident, where Nora Valkyrie had assaulted the store owner and unleashed a bunch of wild animals into the local mall.

"So," said Ozpin, "where do I fit in all of this?"

"I mean to relocate my headquarters here. The headquarters in the city is no longer safe. Several of my staff have died under… unfortunate circumstances. If we wish to regain the city from Guild control, then it would be in our best interests to centralize our efforts here."

"Sort of like what Yang did?"

"That is my intention."

Combining Oberstein's resources with Ozpin's academy of hunters would probably be the most effective method from wresting the city from the influence of the Guilds, but it would raise too much attention. Although Ozpin could probably save his own hide, he couldn't say the same about the safety of his own students. It was one thing to die defending the realm against the threat of the Grimm, but it was another to die because of some messy plot one had nothing to do with.

Ozpin adjusted his glasses for a second, "I don't think that's going to work, Minister Oberstein."

"I am certain it wouldn't. Our enemy would have no choice but to make their move early if we made our alliance public. That is why I am placing you under arrest."

"What?"

Oberstein held his left hand out in front. "At least, that is what the public will think. Now, earlier I had asked you if there was somewhere more private we could talk. Obviously, there is such a location."

"What makes you think that?"

"There is nothing that escapes my attention. Now, I was hoping to make use of that location for our future meetings. Professor Ozpin, would you be kind enough to show me where that is?"

"You are one lucky man." Normally, Ozpin wouldn't be willing to reveal his secret bunker to outsiders, especially not to someone like Oberstein, but considering how unusual this whole situation was, he figured that he would play along. The professor reached down the left side of his chair and entered in a different code on the screen underneath. "You might want to step off to the side."

The Defense Minister nodded and then stepped to the left side of the desk. A faint whirring could be heard from deep underneath the room. Many seconds later, a circular hatch hidden in the center of the room opened up, revealing a network of girders, redundant wires, and machinery formed into the wall within the circular opening. Behind this stood a layer of concrete, followed by an unseen layer of material designed to insulate any sound within from the rest of Beacon. Shortly after the center of the room had split open, a circular platform surrounded by aluminum railing rose up until it ran flush with the rest of the floor. A gap had been left in the railing to load passengers onto it, and opposite this opening stood a switch with only two buttons, labeled "0" and "1" respectively.

Ozpin and Oberstein stepped onto the platform. The headmaster pressed the button labeled "0," causing the elevator to begin its descent. As the hatch began to close from above, thousands of light emitting diodes zoomed past the two men as they went further down into the shaft. Much of the ground underneath Beacon had been dug out to make room for shelter in the event of an emergency. It had been useful when the school had fallen under siege, when many of the city's residents had taken refuge. Even so, not many knew about Ozpin's own personal shelter, delving hundreds of feet deeper than the rest of the underground complex. The only clue to its very existence was a conspicuously large pillar running through the center of the whole academy. Most people assumed it was meant to support Beacon's central tower.

About thirty seconds later, Ozpin felt the platform push up from underneath him as the elevator slowed its descent and pressed up against the shock absorber below. When he turned away from the switch, the professor saw a tile-laden hall through which stood an iron door and a camera lodged within the ceiling, surrounded by a ring of speakers.

As soon as the two men stepped off the platform, Penny's voice greeted them, "Greetings, father! Who is this strange man?"

"Is that a child?" Oberstein remarked.

"Not exactly," said Professor Ozpin, adjusting his glasses. "Penny, this is Defense Minister Oberstein."

"Salutations, Defense Minister Oberstein! Father says you are not a very nice person! Father says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, but seeing as you are a fellow robot, you should be my friend! We can paint our nails, try on clothes together, and talk about cute boys!"

Suffice to say, Penny still had several bugs to work out in her programming.

Still, seeing the look on Oberstein's face was well worth it. Ozpin should have thought about bringing him down here sooner. For the first time, the headmaster had felt like he had real power over the man, seeing him seething in dissatisfaction.

The Defense Minster clutched his forehead while squinting his eyes in pain. "To think the first fully functional AI would turn out like this. Remind me to reduce the state's spending on any research related to the field, if _this_ is what the best minds can come up with. I regret having pressed the issue against you, Professor Ozpin. I should have trusted your judgment from the start."

"What? All you wanted to do was make sure our security team could be trusted. It's natural that you'd want to inspect things yourself."

Oberstein simply looked away, his teeth still clenched. "This is… atrocious."

"Father…" Penny intruded, "should I leave the two of you alone?"

"Maybe," said Ozpin as he turned to the camera, "father's got work stuff he's got to take care of."

"Okay…"

Oberstein closed his eyes and then raised his hand. Ozpin wasn't sure if Penny would understand the gesture, but he could still feel her presence nearby. "That won't be necessary. As much as I would rather not admit it, your input as an AI might prove useful in our discussions to come."

"So… does this mean you don't hate me after all?"

Oberstein gave no response to that question. Instead, he continued, "Headmaster, you shall be using these quarters while the public thinks I have you detained. Judging by what you have said so far, you should be able to monitor the whole academy from here."

"So you're putting me on guard duty?" said Ozpin. "That sounds like fun."

"Spare me your sarcasm. While I shall take the nominal position of headmaster for the time being, I shall leave most of the specifics of running the place to you. Of course, if you would be willing to consider it, I would be more than pleased to take some of the the more mundane duties off your hands." While Ozpin wasn't too pleased with the idea of Oberstein becoming Beacon's headmaster, the man did know how to strike a deal. Considering he had become Beacon's headmaster to lead the fight against the Grimm, paperwork had never been his idea of an ideal job.

Ozpin leaned up against the door, resting his knuckles up against his chin. "Hmm… I can't say I quite like the idea of that. I consider my position as Beacon's headmaster to be an important duty. I don't see any reason why I should give it up so easily."

"Consider this nothing more than a temporary vacation. In any case, it will help convince our enemies of our mutual hostility. While some of our more intelligent adversaries might see right through this, we may be able to lure some of our enemies out into the opening. Seeing our weakness, they may try to attack the academy directly, not knowing about your presence. Professor Ozpin, you know about the Benthic Terminal, correct?

"In a sense." The Benthic Terminal referred to the deeper, underground portion of the Internet that was usually ignored by most search engines. Most of it was devoted to hosting child pornography, but a good portion of it was also used for illegal arms trading, exchanging government secrets, black market dealing, and other illicit activities. While many people were unaware of the Benthic Terminal's existence, it was no secret that most of the worlds' governments used it to further their own ends, considering how vital it was to national security. "Why?"

"Some of our specialists picked up a few interesting tidbits here and there. Specifically, a certain group of terrorists wants you dead."

"I can't imagine why." Seeing as Ozpin was an important figure in guaranteeing Vale's security, it was no surprise that people would choose to target him. _There's no way these men work for Cinder._ If she wanted him dead, she probably would have made an attempt on his life already, and she definitely wouldn't be trying to discuss the details of her plan on some shady website or forum. It just wasn't her way of doing things, though Ozpin wouldn't put it past the woman to use this to divert attention from her real plans. She was _that_ crafty.

The Defense Minister continued. "We've been seeing an unusually large amount of dust and weapons shipments in the city's Western districts. We think they may have ties to Rubinsky General Enterprises." Ozpin had met the man once. Adrian Rubinsky was the CEO of his titular company, which had overtaken the Schnee Dust Company as the world's leading Dust supplier. Furthermore, he was also one of the founding members of the Northwestern Trade Organization. _Another conniving bastard in this snake-filled cesspit._ "They seem to fear your academy of hunters, especially since your efforts to root out criminal threats seem to have grown more vigilant. If they think they can kill you in one shot, they may be willing to risk coming out of hiding."

"So you're sending out a decoy?"

"It is… a tragic waste of life, but I believe we can save more people in the long run if we strike before their threat grows beyond our control." Ozpin couldn't agree more, but then again he was used to sending his students off to their deaths, both in their missions and during the entrance exam. Though unfortunate, it was a necessary sacrifice for the security of the realm.

"That all sounds fine and dandy," said the headmaster, "but there's one big problem with your plan."

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"My students. They're not just going to stand by while you keep me in custody."

Oberstein closed his eyes, pointing his finger up. "Don't think I haven't considered that factor in my calculations. I am very well aware of the tenacity that your students possess, which is why they will be useful in eliminating our enemies. That is part of the reason I have sought your help. As Beacon's headmaster, it is your duty to guide the students that you raise to whatever paths in life they follow. In a sense, you are like a shepherd to a flock of willing sheep. So, I ask of you Professor Ozpin, will you play the role of the shepherd and guide your sheep to safety?"

Ozpin pressed his spectacles up and grinned. "I don't think that should be too much of a problem."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello anyone who's reading this. After six long chapters, we finally get to the kick-off point mentioned in the summary. I don't know if I've portrayed Ozpin and Oberstein's characters correctly, or if Ozpin eases up to Oberstein too quickly. But anyway, shit is finally happening. If anyone has any ideas on where this story is gong to go or anything else, feel free to comment on them. It might help me prevent the characters from derping later on, even though this whole scheme seems kinda contrived and derpy as well. Hope you enjoyed reading this!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ruby dashed into team JSMN's room, nearly running into the card game they were playing. "Guys! Guys! Did you hear? Professor Ozpin's been arrested!" Ruby couldn't stand still for a single moment.

The news had come all too suddenly. Just as everyone was easing into the fall semester, the mean Mr. Robot man had taken over Ozpin's position. Even though Ruby had only known him for a month or so, she knew he was a good guy. He would never do any of the things that man had accused him of doing. _Why didn_ _'t he fight back? If I were him, I would have kicked that scrawny man's butt! That's right!_ It was all just part of an evil plan to take over Ozpin's position.

Julian stood up from where he was, "P-Professor Ozpin?"

Jaune dropped his cards. "Y-you're sure about that, Ruby? This isn't a joke or anything like that?"

Pyrrha soon followed. "That is terrible news!"

Emerald, on the other hand, was busy lamenting at the state the card game was in. "This is just fantastic… So, what's this about the headmaster being arrested?"

Soon after, Weiss and Ren came running in from the halls.

Once inside, the heiress bent down and reached for her knees, panting heavily. "Ruby, you need to slow down so the rest of us can catch up!" She slid down the wall and sat on the floor, looking up toward the overhead light.

"Sorry!" Ruby replied. _It_ _'s just that this matter is really super-duper important and we need to all discuss this as a team especially now that Nora is missing!_

"There's no need to worry," said Ren as he stepped inside.

"What do we do? What do we do? What do we do? What do…"

Ruby felt Weiss's firm palm run smack into her cheek. "Get a hold of yourself, dumbnut! Panicking isn't going to solve anything for us!"

"Hate to say it, but the girl is right," said Ren.

"Ahem! It is Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, thank you very much!" She folded her arms and snapped a glare at Ren.

"Talk about bossy," remarked Emerald, who was still sitting on the floor.

"Shut it! Don't say another word."

"Sorry, your magnificence." Weiss simply growled in response.

Ren cleared his throat and began to speak, "Still, I don't like any of this either. First…"

Everyone turned to the doorway as the sounds of heavy footsteps approached. A large, burly figure stepped into view, planting his hands on the inside of the wooden door frame.

Emerald finally stood up, planted her right hand on her hip, and smiled. "Well, look who decided to drop on by."

 _Cardin Winchester. A bully._

The boy withdrew one of his hands from behind his body and wove it in a single graceful stroke. "Sup, everybody."

Almost everyone turned to look at the boy with marked disgust, though Ren kept his usual composure and Emerald still maintained her trademark smirk.

"You…" Pyrrha seethed, reaching her arm over Jaune's shoulder.

Cardin held his arms up. "Ohoho! What is with all this hostility in here? I've never done anything wrong to any of you!"

Ruby stepped forward. "You've been nothing but a big mean bully to Jaune!" Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Julian nod as well.

"No, no, no, you've got it all wrong! See, all of those days of bullying are long in the past! I am a reformed man! See? When was the last time any of you heard of us do anything bad, huh?" _Once a bully, always a bully._ No matter what people said, people like Cardin would never change. Even now, Ruby could hear the layers of deceit edging on the tip of his tongue.

On the other hand, it had been a while since Cardin and his gang did anything bad. The last time she could remember was when they tried luring Jaune into their schemes when everyone was collecting sap in Forever Fall forest. Ever since then, they seem to have stopped.

Emerald released her arms as she tilted her head to the side. "Oh? The last time I remember, you were squealing on the floor like a little pig!" _Oh right!_ How could she forget about something like _that?_ Sometime while everyone was eating in the cafeteria, Cardin had tried pulling at Blake's cat ears, which were really fluffy and sort of cute. When he started pulling, Blake stood up and grabbed his private parts really, really hard until he screamed and fell on the floor crying.

Cardin chuckled. "Okay, maybe it hasn't been that long. But I just came by so I could say hello to my friend, Jauney-boy! Isn't that right, old buddy, old pal?"

As he stepped forward, Pyrrha pulled out her spear, Miló, and stepped into a fighting stance. "Enough!"

"Wait, Pyrrha," Jaune remarked.

But before anything could happen, Ren stepped in front of Cardin and pressed his palm into his shoulder. "Hey, watch it!" said the big bully, trying to shrug the hand off.

Ren got straight to the point. "So, Cardin Winchester, why are you really here?"

"Where's the rest of your crew, anyway?" said Emerald, leaning alongside one of the bedposts.

"Playing Storm Heroes. It's a good game. Sure beats picking on a bunch of scrawny little dweebs. I couldn't help but overhear you guys talking about something. And with this many people in the same place, there's gotta be something going on. You wouldn't happen to be discussing a way to break out the old man would you?" A sinister smile appeared on Cardin's face.

Ruby spoke up, "Why would you…"

"What are you up to, Cardin?" demanded Pyrrha?

"Oh, nothing really. I just figured I'd help out a few friends in need. I'm just that good of a guy. I don't like to say it, but the old man was a pretty swell guy." _This sounds like a trap._

Weiss leaned forward a bit. "Ahem, why exactly are you trying to help us? Do you think we'd forgive you that quickly after what you tried to do? Well?"

"These are desperate times. Things just aren't the same any more. Quite frankly, I'm bored. I don't know if any of you ever met him, but the new man in charge is a bit of a stiff-neck." As much as she hated to admit it, Ruby could agree with the school bully on that much. "The cops? They've been a bit more tight than usual lately."

"Tell me about it," remarked Emerald.

"I know, right? I got jail-time for jaywalking across the street. You ought to know, rice-boy." Cardin looked at Ren, who gave him a stern look. "Heard your girlfriend was locked up recently."

"What of it?" said the black-haired boy.

"Well, it looks like we all have a few things against the Man. And this man, this Mister Ober-whatshisface? Nothing but bad news. For you. For me. For all of us."

Ren's eyebrow rose. "And?"

"I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but this stuff? This is big. Let's be honest here, I didn't come here to read history books, write essays, or make potions. I came here to fight, and there hasn't been much of that lately, has there?"

"Go on," said Emerald.

"Anyway, I can't miss an opportunity like this. I'm a soldier at heart!" Julian growled at this. "I don't know what you guys are planning, but this sounds like something right up your alley. Especially you, little red." When the boy looked at Ruby, she wanted to slice him in half with her scythe. "I want in on this. I'm sure that my boys would be more than willing to tag along, if you catch my drift."

"We weren't…"

Ren waved his hand back. "Hold that thought, Julian. Truth is, we haven't discussed anything yet. Of course, that isn't to say that some of us wouldn't be willing to help out a certain headmaster in need."

"I dunno…"

"This is stupid!" shouted Weiss. "What makes you think we can accomplish something like this? We're just a bunch of first year students! Something like this is way over our heads. What if we get caught? Even if we do succeed, we'll have to live on the run, forced to live off junk food and oatmeal for the rest of our lives!" She lowered her arms. "I know we should help, but this… this is too much for us."

Ruby didn't know how to feel about any of this. She knew that trusting Cardin would probably be a mistake, yet at the same time she knew she had to help Professor Ozpin and Nora somehow. If Weiss didn't realize that, then how could they function as a team? "Weiss…"

"I'm sorry, I'm going back to the room."

As soon as Weiss stepped out of the room, Jaune stepped forward. "Ren, I know how you feel. I know it must be tough living without Nora. That's why I'm going to help." He planted his palm on Ren's shoulder.

"Jaune…" said Pyrrha.

"Look, Pyrrha, I know you're looking out for me, but our friends need our help. That is why I am going to do this, even if that means I have to work with people like you." He turned to face Cardin.

"Ohoho! Let's not get too feisty there, Jauney-boy."

"Don't call me Jauney-boy."

"Well, it looks like someone's finally decided to grow a spine for once," commented Emerald.

"I'm in too!" said Ruby. Julian turned to her with a look of concern on his face.

"Don't get ahead of yourselves, guys," said Ren. "We still don't have any idea how we're going to do this."

"Well, it's a first step. Anything that involves sticking it to the man earns my seal of approval," said Emerald.

"And what exactly has this man ever done to you?" Pyrrha asked.

"None of your business. I worry about my own problems, you worry about yours." Pyrrha made a sound of disapproval, and Emerald stuck out her tongue in response.

Cardin rested his hands behind his head. "So which of you is the brains of this group? You, Jauney-boy?" Everyone looked at each other but no one seemed to respond to the boy's question.

Ruby meekly raised her hand. "I guess I'm the leader of team SLVR, if that's what you're asking."

"Yeah, I know that. So, none of you have any ideas?"

Julian pushed himself off the bed. "I-I think I might know someone we could ask."

"Oh? And who's that, doggie-doo?"

"Will you cut that out!" yelled Ruby. "Sorry!"

Julian walked over to the door, just stepping up to Cardin. "Look, I really don't want to get involved in this, but I-I just feel I owe Headmaster Ozpin is all. Just follow me."

"You heard the man," said Emerald. Soon everyone was filing out the door.

* * *

"Th-this is where you were taking us?" said Cardin. "Screw this, I'm…"

Emerald grabbed hold of his shoulder as the boy tried to walk away. "Oh, don't think you're going anywhere, big boy. You're not afraid of a little kitty-cat are you?"

The big bully stopped where he was, "Of course not. And besides, how could I refuse such a sweet and gentle maiden like yourself?"

Emerald didn't really seem gentle at all. In fact, she kinda seemed more like a snake as far as Ruby was concerned.

Of course, before everyone could turn around the corner to reach team RWBY's dorm, they all saw Blake standing in the middle of the hallway, reading over some book.

The cat-girl turned towards them. "Well, look who came crawling back."

"Hey girl, don't look at me. I just got roped into this."

"Oh? That's not what I heard," said Emerald. "You were practically begging to go down on your knees and lick the bottom of Blake's boots! Isn't that right?"

Ren waved them off to the side, "Ignore them. Listen, you've heard the news right?"

"Yeah?" said Blake. "What about it?"

Jaune stepped forward and said, "We… kinda need your help."

"Why should I concern myself with any of this? Besides, it'll look kinda suspicious if I'm seen working with any of you."

"You know Reinhard von Lohengramm, right?" said Julian.

"Who wouldn't. He's the king and all."

"The two of you met while in the White Fang, right?"

The cat-girl flinched back when she heard this. "How do you…"

"Julian, what's the White Fang?" Ruby asked. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but the scarlet-haired girl couldn't attach any meaning to it.

"It used to be an organization for the advancement of Faunus rights after the Faunus Rights Revolution. It operated primarily through peaceful protests and petitioning, though, that wasn't always effective. Of course, that all stopped once the group officially disbanded six years ago, only to reform as the Jotunheim Revolutionary Council, with most of its membership still intact."

"Looks like someone's done their research," said Blake.

"According to the old records, you've been with them before even Reinhard joined the group. Most members who were originally part of the White Fang are now on Jotunheim's ruling council. You seem to be the only exception. I can't imagine why someone who's been part of that circle for so long wouldn't be granted an important position."

"So what? I'm still only seventeen. I've still got a lot of things to learn."

"I don't think age is relevant here. You've got experience that a lot of us would envy." The cat Faunus maintained her silence, keeping her eyes focused on Yang's ward. Ruby could hear whispers throughout the hall.

Jaune pointed his finger at Blake, "So, that means you're a spy, huh?"

"Way to go, Sherlock," Emerald snarked.

"That's slow even for you, Jauney-boy," Cardin added.

"Look," said Blake, "now isn't the time. Let's talk about this after lunch or something, okay?"

"Hold on," said Ren, trying to reach over to Blake's shoulder before having his arm smacked away. "Ugh, are you in this or not?"

"Maybe. I'm interested, if that's what you're looking for. Maybe you can pay me back in return. How's that sound?"

"I'm glad we could have this arrangement." He reached out his hand, though Blake was reluctant to shake it.

* * *

Ruby stepped by the mail room, checking to see if her uncle or cousin had sent her anything. Blake was only willing to discuss things with Julian and Ren, so everyone else had gone to do their own thing, seeing as it was the weekend and there were no classes. She figured that one of them would fill her on the details later, seeing how much of this needed to be kept a secret. Not that that stopped anyone else from overhearing that the Faunus-girl was a spy. It was strange that none of the new guards patrolling around the school had done anything about it, considering how strict they usually were.

"Miss Rose, you have a package."

 _Oh sweet!_ Ruby rushed into the office and held her scroll up for display. After signing all the papers, Ruby retrieved the cardboard package from the person working behind the desk. It had her name sharpied all over it in her uncle's all too recognizable handwriting. There was no mistaking it. It even had her uncle Qrow's address plastered onto it. _I wonder what could be so big as to fit in this box?_

Using her semblance's speed, Ruby rushed through the halls and swerved into her team's room only a minute later. There, she saw Weiss sitting on her top bunk, reading over a letter. Although she may have initially been a bit pushy and abrasive, over time the heiress had warmed up to her.

Still holding the box in her arms, Ruby looked up at Weiss, "That's from your parents, right?"

The girl folded up the letter, resting it on the bed. "Yeah, I mean, yes it is."

"It must be nice having parents who can look out after you."

"So, Ruby, what is that?"

The girl lifted the box up to eye level. "Dunno. My uncle sent it to me."

Weiss began descending down a ladder strapped to the front of her bed. "Well, why don't we see what it is?"

"Okay." Ruby sat on her bed underneath.

Once grounded, Weiss gestured to the space next to Ruby. "Mind if I sit here?"

Ruby began peeling back the tape. "Sure thing." The heiress leaped onto the bed and scooted right up next to her.

Once the scythe-wielder had pulled back the flaps, she saw a scroll and a folded-up note sitting inside the box.

"Huh? But I already have a scroll."

"Could I see that for a second?" Weiss was pointing to the piece of paper. Ruby simply nodded in affirmation. While the girl was busy turning the device on, Weiss read the note aloud, "Twenty-four-hundred South Rust Street, Vale City. Isn't that supposed to be in the Southern districts?"

"Dunno." Even though Ruby had been to the main city on more than one occasion, she still didn't know all the ins and outs of the whole place.

Only seconds after the scroll had finished booting up, a message flicked onto the screen:

 _'Hello there.'_  
 _'Suffice to say, I'm not your uncle.'_  
 _'I couldn't think of any other way to contact you without drawing the suspicion of the authorities.'_

"They could have just asked in person," Ruby commented. Teams SLVR and JSMN went into the city often enough that anyone could just walk up and ask them something if they knew who they were. It's not like the cops were watching them 24/7.

"Well, this seems to be a rather roundabout way of doing things," said Weiss. "Any idea who this is?"

"Not really." All of the messages she had received so far had no accompanying identification. Usually, messages displayed the name of the person who was calling or their respective scroll number. There were ways to get around this, of course, but scrolls usually had a number of systems built in to bypass some of the simpler methods for concealing one's identity.

Either way, Yang didn't seem like the type of person who would do this sort of thing. Neither was her uncle. Any of her friends could have just spoken to her in person, and it was unlikely that Ozpin had access to any outside communication since he was in jail and all. Security was supposed to be tighter for ex-hunters and dangerous criminals, such as that one guy Ruby helped capture the other night. She couldn't remember his name, but he had a cane that could fire off explosive flares.

Despite not knowing who the person on the other end was, Ruby figured she would go through with this. Considering what had happened during the past few weeks, she might as well try to get some answers, even if that meant talking to complete strangers.

She typed into the scroll, "Who are you?"

 _'Someone who can help.'_  
 _'Is there anyone else in the room?'_

Ruby turned to face Weiss, who shook her head horizontally. "No," she typed in.

 _'You're lying.'_

Weiss jumped back a bit. "Th-They can see us?"

Ruby leaned forward on the bed, looking out of the window. "Probably." It wasn't all that hard to imagine. Most scrolls had built-in cameras, so it was likely that whoever they were talking to had hacked into the device and was using it to observe them. On the other hand, they could have been watching from somewhere outside, though Ruby couldn't see anyone from this angle.

"Okay," she typed. "there is someone else with me."

 _'Figures.'_  
 _'Anyway, I've got some information you might want.'_  
 _'Can't go into specifics cause people might be watching.'_  
 _'Go to the address on the note.'_  
 _'I'd prefer if you came alone, but I guess your girlfriend can come along if she wants.'_  
 _'People are going to find about this sooner or later.'_

"What did that man just insinuate?" said Weiss, her voice tense.

 _'Lol.'_  
 _'Anyway, leave your actual scrolls here.'_  
 _'Otherwise the authorities will be able to track us down.'_  
 _'Also, smash this scroll and dump it somewhere on the way.'_  
 _'Catch you later.'_

The device crunched in her hands as Ruby tried bending it in half. She then removed her own scroll from her pockets.

"You're actually going through with this?"

"Yeah. We gotta do anything to help Professor Ozpin out, right?"

"I suppose. Still, I'm coming with."

"No need to worry, Weiss, I can handle this myself." She took the note from the heiress's lap.

"Hmph. Well, don't blame me if you get kidnapped or something like that. It's not like I care about you or anything." The heiress looked away for a moment, crossing her arms in front. "Just… come back, okay?"

"No problem, Weiss."

"Dolt," the heiress muttered under her breath. Soon after, her cheeks started to flush. "C-can I hug you, Ruby?"

"Sure thing, why…"

The heiress had latched onto Ruby within a second. The scythe-wielder had struggled to return the gesture as the white-haired girl had her in her tight embrace. Ruby could feel her partner's arms feeling their way all over her back, accepting every inch of her body. Ruby thought nothing of it, except for how tightly Weiss's body clung onto her own. _She usually isn_ _'t this affectionate. Maybe this is how Zwei feels whenever I bring him into my arms._

Soon, the heiress's arms began making their way down her back, toward the edge of her skirt.

"Weiss, what are you doing?"

After about a second, the heiress seemed to lapse back to attention. Once she realized what she was doing, Weiss jumped right back, her face now fully red. "I-I-I'm sorry! I-I just got carried away is all! Idiot! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" She crossed her arms. "Just don't mention this to anyone, okay?"

"Okay. See you later, Weiss!" Ruby got back up and began heading out the door.

* * *

Ruby stepped off at the corner of Rust and Harvest, roughly three blocks from where she needed to be. Compared to central Vale, this area was much quieter, though cars and motorcycles still zipped on by. While there were still numerous shops lined on Rust street, most of the buildings only went up to two stories high, with the skyscrapers of the main city only a distant silhouette. Each little shopping outlet had a small lot for cars, much smaller than the gigantic parking structures of the main city. At the edges of each little strip stood a bush carved in a perfect ovular shape.

Soon enough, the girl was approaching the next corner, and the buildings had begun to run flush with the sidewalk, where they would turn to face the streets ahead.

As soon as Ruby passed by a little alleyway going into a back lot for shop employees, she heard a voice come from her left. "Psst! Hey, you!"

Ruby turned to face this new presence, drawing out Crescent Rose. The man in front of her was wearing a gray hoodie and a pair of sunglasses.

He pulled out a folded-up slip of paper. "Someone came by and told me to give this to you." As soon as Ruby accepted the slip the man turned around. "Can't stay much longer."

"Wait! Did you see who it was?"

"I couldn't see who it was. You know those mailbox drop-off things they used to have at the old banks? The person had one of those things on the back of a limo. When he drove by, he gave me your picture and this slip, and then he told me to deliver them to you. I got paid good money for this too. Listen, I've gotta go. Can't stay here for too long. You might want to watch your back while you're at it too. Take care, Red."

Ruby raised her hand as if to hold up the man, but it was unlikely she would get any more answers out of him. Not without doing bad-guy stuff anyway. Ruby leaned back onto one of the walls flanking the alleyway, unfolding the slip of paper.

Along with the picture, which was an older type of photo with a white frame and a blackish-brown square on the back, the note had a map of the surrounding area. A path had been drawn from Ruby's current location to some place a few blocks away.

"1297 West Baker Street," Ruby read off the note. It was obvious that whoever had sent her the scroll through the mail had switched the address in case someone was following her.

The dark-crimson-haired girl quickly memorized the location and began to head off, trying to avoid drawing too much attention to herself. While using her weapon or her semblance would get her to her destination quicker, there was still a chance that it would attract nearby cops, which was the last thing she wanted. _Dusting police._

Soon enough, Ruby's destination had come up on her right. It was one of the city's many Jerry Raspberry's ice cream shops, bordering a grassy lot on the corner and a furniture store.

Once Ruby stepped inside, she found the shop mostly empty save for the sole woman working behind the counters. Half of her hair was pink with a few streaks of white while the other half was a dark brown, both curled up inside her hair net. The employee had an unusually fancy white suit concealed underneath her apron, but the girl reasoned it was probably because the woman had a penchant for style.

The woman made an elaborate bow, gesturing to the various flavors of ice cream underneath the glass.

Ruby awkwardly stepped up to the counter, trying to decide among the various flavors. "Uh, I'll have two scoops of strawberry ice cream. In a cone, please."

The woman nodded, and then typed something out on the cash register. Once finished, the woman gestured to the display screen, now showing the listed price.

Ruby began reaching for her pockets, but then remembered that she had left her scroll back at Beacon. Instead, she had pulled out some spare cash she kept with her for whenever something like this happened. The woman smiled and accepted it.

The woman then began working on collecting her treat. Ruby found it a bit odd that the woman didn't ask to confirm her order, but she simply brushed off her concerns.

Once finished, the woman passed the cone to Ruby over the counter.

"Miss," said Ruby, "is there some reason that you don't talk?"

The woman simply tilted her head to the side as if Ruby had asked something completely alien. Without warning, the woman raised her finger up, and then acquired something from her pockets. Another slip of paper. She handed it over to Ruby.

The crimsonette began to open it up, sitting on a nearby counter while occasionally licking at her ice cream.

It read as follows:

 _Hello there, Ruby Rose,_

 _I do apologize that we've had to go through all this secret agent bullcrap, but you can never be too cautious with these sorts of matters._  
 _Listen, I know you and your friends have been a little bit down ever since you've lost your headmaster, along with one of your teammates. I can help with that.  
_ _I've hacked into the government databases and I've got info on Ozpin and Nora's cell numbers. I've gotta say, they've got that information locked up tight. Here they are:_

 _Nora Valkyrie: B924752_  
 _Ozpin: C387620_

 _I don't really know how you're going to get them both out. Security's packed at Alpha complex. I'm just good at getting information; I don't do heavy lifting. It's going to be up to you and your ragtag group of misfits to figure just how the hell you're going to get them out of there. You're going to need to act fast too._  
 _Anyway, I think we should keep in touch in case the situation changes, like if Alpha complex switches the cells on us. Next Saturday, go to the address listed on the bottom of this page. Hope to see you soon._

Once finished looking at the letter, Ruby folded it back up and put it in her pocket as she walked outside to finish her ice cream. She'd have to remember to write everything down as soon as she got back to Beacon. She wasn't sure whether this source was trustworthy, but she'd see what her friends would have to say. Especially Julian or Ren, since they seemed to know what they were doing.

"Hey there, little sis."

"Huh?" Ruby briefly turned around to see where the voice had come from.

There was no one there.

Ruby started walking backwards, but then turned back around when she felt sure that no one had been following her.

"Huh, I wonder what that was."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 _"The Vale City Police department had raided the nightclub RYSE after police investigations had uncovered links between it and the criminal mastermind Roman Torchwick, who had organized several Dust robberies this past summer. The site was found to contain stockpiles of illegal arms shipments and other forms of contraband. The police could not find any signs of the club owner, Hei "Junior" Xiong, anywhere near the premises, and his current whereabouts are unknown. If you live anywhere near the area, be sure to lock your doors and do not stay out past eight. If you see Hei Xiong or find any information that might lead to him, be sure to inform your local authorities as soon as possible._

 _"The police have also investigated several other outposts scattered throughout the city, including a Jerry Raspberry's ice cream shop located in the southern districts, where the body of Tang Zephyr was found. Upon further investigation, the shop owner, Lou Green, is reported to have gone missing. Police investigation of other Jerry Raspberry stores is currently underway._

 _"In other news…"_

* * *

Once the elevator had reached the top, the doors opened and Blake stepped into the Headmaster's office.

Almost immediately, Headmaster Oberstein stood up from his seat to greet the cat Faunus. "Good afternoon, Miss Belladonna. You seem to be right on schedule." The way he addressed her mimicked that of her liege, King Reinhard von Lohengramm.

Based on what the king told her about Oberstein's temperament, Blake knew scheduling her meeting beforehand would be the best way to earn the Defense Minister's favor. Over the past few days, she had seen many people walk out dejected or incensed after spending only a few seconds in Oberstein's new office.

The headmaster gestured to the three chairs sitting before his desk. "Come, have a seat. You must be tired."

The silver-cushioned chairs were a new addition, based on what she had seen from old pictures of the office. Oberstein had also curtained the headmaster's desk with a blackish cloth. She couldn't blame him. Even Blake had to admit that Ozpin's desk looked ridiculously tacky.

The headmaster circled around to the left side of the desk. "Surely you didn't go through all this trouble just to come in and say hello. What exactly do you wish to talk about?"

"I'm surprised you just let me walk in here," said Blake. "No guards, no anything."

On the other hand, there seemed to be quite a few metallic rings and indentations that could easily store automatic turrets or drone hangars. Those definitely hadn't been there before when she had last looked at Beacon's blueprints. It wouldn't be too hard for her to take them all out. Of course, the Defense Minister was probably aware of all this.

"How forthcoming of you. But one should always be more cautious against the guns they cannot see instead of the ones right in front of them." He obviously wasn't referring to the hidden gun turrets, though Blake couldn't find anything else in the room that would match that sort of description. Besides the chairs of course.

"So you know?"

"Anyone with half a brain would have known you were a spy the moment you stepped into these halls. Some were quicker in reaching their conclusions than others. Using the transfer student program for the purposes of spying is one of the oldest tricks in the book."

Blake half expected the man to say he knew because she had just told them, or something along those lines. If Blake had really wanted to go about spying, she would have done so in a way that was much less obvious, but Reinhard had insisted that she would go to Beacon through the transfer student program.

"Of course, that's not the real reason King Reinhard has sent you here."

Blake simply remained silent, crossing over her legs.

"If he was really interested in gathering information about our current state of affairs, he wouldn't have dressed you in such pomp and circumstance. No, you're here to act as his personal messenger. However, seeing as Ozpin's out of the picture, I'm afraid you might find that a bit difficult."

Blake wasn't exactly pleased with what the Defense Minister had managed to deduce. Oberstein was already complicating her mission here by accusing Ozpin of treason, though his lack of resistance hinted that something was up. "What did you do with Professor Ozpin?"

"The man was guilty of treason. I had simply placed him under arrest. Regardless of stature, there is no man, woman, or child who stands above the laws of this nation."

Considering how calmly Vale's defense minister spoke, Blake sensed something was up. Regardless of one's own idealism, there were just some individuals who were too powerful for the law to hold any effect. Considering his influence and prestige in the world of hunters and huntresses, professor Ozpin was one such man. And besides, Blake had heard the two didn't get along, so something was amiss.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" said Oberstein.

"You know people are going to try breaking him out, right?"

"I am very aware of that, Miss Belladonna. I have taken ample precautions should such a scenario ever arise. You wouldn't think about joining such _divisive_ elements, would you?"

"Of course not, Headmaster Oberstein."

Obviously, Blake was lying, but the headmaster didn't seem to particularly care about the cat-girl's response. Considering how many cameras were littered all over the school, it would be surprising if he didn't already know about everyone's concerted effort to try to break out the old headmaster, along with some other person who had been jailed for one reason or another. She didn't know what effects the new changes in team leadership would have, but they probably wouldn't make much of a difference. For the most part, it looked like Oberstein was trying to remedy some of Ozpin's more _questionable_ choices for team leaders.

"How disappointing. I was actually hoping you could be of use to us."

"And by us you mean?"

"The greater security of Vale, of course. I'm aware that there may be some… hostility between us, but I believe the Kaiser has sent you here as a sign of friendship and goodwill."

"Kaiser?" She had never heard anyone refer to her liege in this manner before. Still, the Defense Minister had somehow managed to intuit Reinhard's intentions for sending her here.

"I seem to have slipped my tongue. You must know that I had lived in the mountains of Jotunheim long before coming here to Vale. Were the circumstances different, it is likely that I would be serving under the man you call your king, who would now be ruling over all of Mistral."

Hearing this from one of the most powerful men in Vale was strange to hear indeed. Still, it wasn't all that strange to hear of people speak fondly of other nations, especially those they regarded as their homeland. In fact, Blake had been born in the outskirts of Vale, before her parents moved to northern Mistral when jobs became available. That was before the Butcher King Braunschweig had taken over.

"Kaiser is the name that the people of Jotunheim would call the kings of old. Do you know the legend of Kaiser Rudolf?"

"Sort of," Blake responded. The legend told of an ancient warrior who had made a bargain with the powerful demon god, Odin, who gave him command over the legions of hell in exchange for his own soul. It was said that his empire spanned across the continents of Mistral, Mantle, Styx, old Atlantis, and the northern parts of Vytal. When he died, he was damned to an eternity of suffering, and his empire had fragmented into a million factions fighting over the spoils. The legend of Kaiser Rudolf was Jotunheim's explanation for how the Grimm came to be, but obviously it didn't hold up to facts. Grimm could not be controlled, and there was no evidence that such an empire had ever existed.

"It seems as though your liege seeks to emulate the legendary Kaiser, even though he may be nothing more than an ancient myth. But even though Eastern Mantle and the Dominion of Menagerie have joined his great commonwealth, how can Reinhard hope to achieve that when he doesn't even control all of Mistral?"

"King Reinhard still has a long life ahead of him," Blake said with a straight face.

"How true. I have heard he has just reached the age of twenty-four, has he not?"

Blake nodded. "That much is true."

"It is quite a miracle that he has managed to accomplish so much at such a young age. But it seems that we have diverged from our original topic of discussion." Oberstein took a moment to straighten up the papers on his desk. "Regardless of your own personal inclinations, I would like for you to observe these futile efforts of Beacon's students to break the old headmaster out of prison. Furthermore, I would like for you to make note of…"

Blake crossed her arms and smirked. "What if I refuse?"

"Then I shall have you meet the same fate as Ozpin and the Valkyrie girl." Despite whatever influence he wielded, the Defense Minister was getting cocky, even if his pale face did not show it.

"Article 27 of the Vale Peace Accords dictates that…"

"I know everything there is to know about Article 27, Miss Belladonna. It does not exist."

"What?"

Blake jolted out of her seat, but then was almost immediately pulled back by a series of cords that sprung out of the chair.

 _Dust dammit! Of course it was the chairs! How could I let myself make such a dumb mistake?_

Despite her current situation, Blake couldn't find any traces of Oberstein's amusement on his face, even though everything else dictated otherwise. The very least he could have done was laugh at her suffering like the damn scoundrel he was, but Blake couldn't even have that luxury. The empty expression on the man's face was infuriating to say the least.

"I thought even someone like you would have understood the situation better, but you have disappointed me. It seems that you have made the mistake of underestimating me, Miss Belladonna. Although I may not possess the same strength that others hold in high regard, I did not ascend to this position by making careless mistakes."

"You're bluffing!"

Oberstein let out a slight chuckle. "You seem to have been misinformed. Article 27 never existed. It is nothing more than Reinhard's fabrication to give you the false illusion of safety. Seeing as you're guilty of conspiracy against Vale's government, it would be within my full powers to detain you. The Kaiser would have no choice but to deny any connections with you."

"But what if you're wrong about this? What if you're wrong about Article 27? What if the word gets out about what you're planning and Reinhard finds out about this? Can Vale afford to face the onslaught of war once again?"

The headmaster pushed himself up from his desk and briefly dusted off his suit. "How naive you truly are. Do you really think I would lie about legal matters such as this? You may be one of Reinhard's trusted advisers, but in the end you are still nothing more than a seventeen-year-old child. To think that I must be the man responsible for your own education."

Blake continued to struggle against the bonds. "You're not going to get away with this." _As soon as I get the chance, I am going to tear that smug face of yours straight off the bone._

"My actions have been less than honorable, but I do not do this out of desire for my own gain. If you are willing to cooperate with me, perhaps I shall be willing to aid the Kaiser should the need ever arise."

"Do I really have a choice?"

"You always have a choice, though some options may be wiser than others. Do I have your word of cooperation?"

"Yeah, sure." For now, anyway. "Am I free to go now?"

"As you wish." He then pressed a button underneath his desk, causing the cords to release their grip.

Blake then got up from her seat and turned to examine it. Aside from a few slightly larger than normal gaps in the fabric, the chair had shown no signs of thick cable-like cords having sprung out from it just a few minutes ago.

The cat Faunus stepped just a few inches away from the desk and looked Oberstein straight in the eyes. _I could kill him right now._ No, he would be expecting that. She would have to wait for some other opportunity.

In the meantime, she turned back and walked toward the elevator.

* * *

Blake stood outside of Beacon Academy, waiting by one of the cliff-side elevator shafts. It was already ten past six, so it was likely the others were still eating.

Emerald had been the first to arrive, which didn't bode well for the mission. Quite frankly, she looked like she was only here for the joyride, and she'd probably bail out if things got too rough.

Julian and Ren soon followed. At the very least, she could rely on them, which was why she had discussed her plans at greater length with them. Ren had a personal interest in this, so there was no question of where his loyalty lied. Julian, on the other hand, seemed dependable enough. Though Blake could sense the boy was reluctant, he didn't seem like the type who would back down on promises. On the other hand, he did seem a bit more shaky than usual today, his eyes glancing around every which way.

"So," Emerald spoke up, "remind me what exactly we're doing tonight?"

"We're just going to meet with some of our sponsors." Specifically, they were going to meet with some friends in the outer reaches of the city, where they would plan the specifics of their eventual prison raid. Even though it was likely Oberstein and his lackeys would find out, they still needed to keep at least a semblance of secrecy.

"Huh, maybe I should ask some of my friends if they'd like to join."

"You know people?" asked Ren.

"Of course, silly! You wouldn't think after having lived for most of my life in the city that I wouldn't have made a few acquaintances along the way? West side represent!"

"What's taking the others so long?" Blake asked Ren.

"Jaune and Pyrrha are still eating, but I have no idea where Ruby is."

Weiss was the only one among them who wasn't going to be present, considering she didn't show up when everybody had met in the transfer dorm. Even Cardin showed more enthusiasm than her, despite being a prejudiced asshole. Although Weiss was now supposed to be SLVR's team leader, she couldn't even reign in her own team.

Julian then turned to face the cat-girl. "Say, you're a member of The Church, right?"

"I guess you could say that, why?"

"Do you think they would help us on this?"

"Not likely. I don't think they'd want to get involved in something as criminal as this." That much was true. Even though Reverend Aquamaria had come to Vale to help spread the Word of Testaments, it was unlikely she would be able to assist on this type of venture in matters outside of moral counsel.

"Huh," said Emerald, "I never would've thought that you of all people would be one of those lame church-goers."

"Take that back!" Blake growled, her cat ears twitching.

"Make me!" spat out Emerald.

"Let's leave religious matters out of this, shall we?"

"Fine!" The green-haired girl simply smirked.

Far up ahead, Blake saw Pyrrha dragging along Jaune down the main landing strip. As soon as two of them reached their position, Jaune fell out of his partner's grasp and keeled over onto the ground, out of breath.

"Jaune, are you alright?" said Pyrrha.

"Yeah, I'm alright, I just need a moment. That's all."

There was a brief pause, and then Ren directed everyone's attention toward Beacon. "Look who finally made it."

When Blake stepped over to examine him, the girl noticed that his shield on his back looked remarkably different. For one, the thing looked heavy enough to house a gun that could pierce through tank armor. Furthermore, instead of its original white-and-golden design, it now boasted of an elaborate red, white, and black spiraling motif with several roses forming a border around it.

"So," said Emerald, "how's your new toy?"

Once he regained his strength, Jaune stood back up and dusted his pants. "Heavy, but I figure I'll get used to it."

"What happened to your old shield?" Blake asked. Although she hadn't been in the hunting program for very long, this was the first time she heard of someone switching out part of their personal equipment.

"I still have it. It's just that Ruby's been busy working on developing some new weapons for our team."

"I helped too…" said Pyrrha.

"I know you did, Pyrrha. Still, I haven't decided what to call it yet, but given time I'll think of something. Julian's the one who thought of this, otherwise I'd still be just a dork with a sword and shield."

Julian rubbed his head as he spoke, "Actually… I just figured that giving some of our squad members a few upgrades would improve our combat performance. Even in an urban environment, a sword and shield isn't going to do you much good if the enemy can hit you from over a mile away without you even noticing. I just figured I'd help level things out for us. Besides, Ruby seemed to be the most willing person to help us out."

"I would've done it, but doing other people's chores for them isn't exactly my thing," remarked Emerald. _Yeah, I don't exactly see you being much help._

Just then, Blake saw the white-haired heiress march toward them, dragging Ruby along by the collar of her orange Pumpkin Pete's T-shirt. Though barely noticeable, the scythe-user's hands had been stained with a bluish liquid, and bits of scrap metal had been scattered all over her clothes. Even though the cat Faunus had seen Ruby several times throughout her time here, she had never seen Ruby wear that particular outfit, including her dull, faded pants.

"Well, look who decided to show up," remarked the Southerner.

"Shut up, green-haired dolt! You're lucky I even found this red-haired dunce!"

"Her hair doesn't look that red…" remarked Jaune.

"Anyway, I'm coming with you guys." Silence. "What? None of you are shocked?"

"Not really. We're going to need any help we can get," said Ren.

"I just thought I should be here to support you since I'm the team leader and all. That doesn't mean I approve of this or anything."

"Are we there yet?" Ruby said in a daze. Her head was still rolling from being dragged all the way across Beacon.

"Well," said Blake, "looks like that's everybody. I…"

"Hey losers, wait up!"

 _Oh god no…_

Right at the end of the runway, team CRDL was making a headlong dash towards the eight of them. Blake had intentionally neglected to invite them to this meeting, seeing as they'd probably brag about the whole thing whenever they got the chance.

"This isn't going to go well, is it?" lamented Julian.

"Ugh, let them come with. Just be sure to keep an eye on them." Ren turned to face the cat-girl. "Alright, Blake, show us where we need to go."

"No problem," Blake gritted through her teeth.

* * *

After a long train ride and a half-mile's walk, the whole gang had reached the city's northwestern harbors. Heavy freighter ships had been docked alongside the vast concrete piers, and large warehouses had been lined along the eastern side. In some places, searchlights shined from some of the larger buildings, which had been sealed off by chain-link fences. Every so often, the group spied a shadowy guard lurking on the roofs with a rifle in hand. The whole place looked more like a series of military bases than anything that conducted normal business. But that was to be expected in this day and age.

The place they were looking for had been a defunct shipyard along the northern end of the docks. When they found it, it looked much like one of the other warehouses, except it had been entrenched right on the fork of two adjacent piers. A few windows sat on the top end of the building, where thugs could peek with their guns out and snipe away at any unwanted visitors. As they approached, Blake could see the reflective shine of a gun barrel as it poked its head out of one of the windows on the right.

The only way into the whole complex was through a pair of yellow gate booths. One could easily jump over the white-and-orange bars barricading the entrance, but the building's other defenses would take care of anyone trying to take the roundabout approach. Not that it would have stopped Blake, but she was here to negotiate, not to infiltrate.

As soon as the mob of twelve stepped up to the pair of booths, a voice came from the one to the left, "Welcome young children. What sort of business do you have with such meek and humble fools as us?"

The tinted black windows concealed the person inside, but with her finer Faunus senses, Blake could see that the person had been wearing a white theater mask, bearing an expression of joy. It seemed almost clownish.

"We're…" Cardin tried to speak up, but Ren held his mouth shut.

"I am Blake Belladonna of Jotunheim, and these are all acquaintances of mine. We would like to speak with the captain."

"My, my, my… so many guests! We are in for a party tonight! By the by, may I see your invitation?"

"Certainly, I'll show it to you myself."

Blake stepped around to the other side of the gate, stepping over the lever, and entered the booth from behind. In addition to the mask, the person inside had been wearing a black suede jacket, shining leather pants, and dress shoes, along with a wide-brimmed black-and-white sombrero. Once the door closed behind her, Blake leaned up close to the guard and whispered the pass-code.

The guard stood up and then made an elaborate bow, "Then I welcome you all to this our wonderful and magnificent ball!"

Outside, the east-side gate lever lifted itself up, and the others began to pass through. After Blake stepped down from the booth, everyone made their way to a small alcove straight ahead, which hooked left into the main entrance. Part of the wall jutted out to the right to keep would-be assassins from taking potshots at anyone who stood in the doorway for too long.

After a few seconds of waiting, another guard similarly dressed to the one at the booth opened the door from the inside. Soon enough, they were all inside.

"Ohmygod! It's a real pirate!" shouted Ruby as she ran over to the man dressed in a pirate outfit standing a few feet in front of them.

The freckle-faced man took off his tricorne and made an elaborate bow. His bluish-teal hair was shaped similarly to that of the great general Yang Wenli, but otherwise he did not share the man's Midwestern descent.

He placed his hat back on his head, and tipped it with his leather-gloved hands. "Captain Dusty Attenborough at your service! How may I help you this fine evening?"

* * *

 **A/N: For those of you who have read this far, I would like to apologize, as I am putting this story on indefinite hiatus. To be honest, I've had this chapter written up for a while, and it is only just now that I've mustered up the energy to post it. The truth is, I've kinda abandoned this story a while ago, as over the time I've written it, I've lost the will to continue with this story. I'm only posting this chapter up for the sake of showing how much I have completed. My designs for this fic were far too ambitious, and the lack of overlap between the two canon materials doomed this fic from the start, though I probably wasn't as strong as I could have been in my opening chapters of this fic. I have since moved on to other projects. I do not think I will continue with this project unless some sudden motivation inspires me to do so. I do not know how many of you will be reading this, but if any of you would like to know what my plans for the rest of this story were, feel free to PM me.**


End file.
